Summer Of '71
by SnapesNose
Summary: Set in the summer before Hogwarts. Snape meets his best friend and soul mate Lily Evans for the first time. She proves to be a solace in his life and provides him some reprieve during an otherwise horrifying and miserable summer.
1. Chapter 1: Severus

**A/N: TW- I've chosen to rate this fic with an "M" rating as there will be graphic content based on both domestic violence and child abuse, some situations containing mildly sexual content and humiliation and coarse language. If you don't want want to read about these themes, maybe this isn't the fic for you but thank you for your interest anyway. Consider yourself warned!**

 **Disclaimers: As always I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. They belong strictly to the queen Miss JK Rowling and her affiliates. I have borrowed some lines directly from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows in the chapter "The Prince's Tale" so those don't belong to me either.**

Chapter 1: Severus

Severus Snape lie awake in bed staring fixedly at the ceiling, arms behind his head, as he did almost every morning. He wasn't quite ready to get up and face the day yet, not with what he knew was probably waiting for him downstairs.

His father, Tobias, had come home late last night, dizzy with drink and not short on temper. Tobias had a nasty habit of going to the local pub after work and 'visiting' with his workmates until the wee hours of the morning. He was of the impression that no man was worth his salt if he couldn't put in a full, hard day's work.

" _A man has to be able to provide for 'is family, boy. Ain't no man, less you can bring home the bacon."_

Severus knew that they may be a little better off if his father didn't spend so much time at the pub drinking himself senseless every night, but he knew better than to voice those sorts of opinions, unless he wanted to be beaten within an inch of his life. Tobias was a rough man with traditional values. Unfortunately for Severus, those values included teaching your offspring respect through more _physical_ means.

Severus threw his arms above his head and stretched, yawning, before turning himself over to roll out of bed. His family was quite poor. A lumpy mattress was all that consisted of his bed and his blanket was an old thinning sheet that was badly frayed along the edges and had been repaired more times than he could count. The discolored mattress took up most of the tiny attic which was where Severus slept. It couldn't really be considered a bedroom. What remained of the room housed a few boxes and a trunk of his mum's old school things. The boxes contained few possessions that were either too ruddy or too precious to sell. Among the few effects they had, many of them were books and Severus spent a great many hours poring over them whenever he had the chance.

Severus had always known that he was a wizard. His mother, Eileen, had never hid it from him because he was to never _ever_ do magic in front of his father. Tobias _hated_ magic.

"It just ain't natural Eileen!" he would shout. "I don' want them villagers knowin' you's a witch and throwin' me outta my own house!"

From what Severus could gather, his mother's side of the family were all witches and wizards. He never knew any of them and Eileen never liked to talk about them if she could help it. Severus wasn't sure if it was because of his father or if it was because the subject was too difficult for Eileen to talk about. In either case, it left Severus to be educated about the Wizarding World strictly through his mother and only in secret while his father was away putting in that 'full hard day's work'.

-0-

" _Severus, come here," Eileen whispered urgently._

" _Mum?"_

 _Severus was outside, ready to head into town and see if he couldn't find some odd jobs that needed doing for the townsfolk in the hope that it may provide him and his mother with a little extra pocket money for the night's supper. He abandoned his route and walked uncertainly towards his mum, who was crouching low behind the house and waving him over encouragingly._

" _Severus, come quickly! I need to show you something. You need some learning up."_

 _She sounded a little too frantic for his liking, and her voice was a harsh whisper that floated towards him on the breeze. Severus stumbled clumsily towards her. When he was in arms reach Eileen grabbed hold of his shoulders and whisked him behind the house, glancing over her shoulder with wide, watchful eyes._

" _That's a good boy. Now, listen to me Severus. You can't ever tell your father what we been up to back here, OK? Promise me Severus! You promise me!"_

 _Severus nodded feverishly._

" _Good boy, that's my sweet boy. Now listen carefully Severus. I know that you know better than to get in your father's way when he's been drinkin' but I want you to know how to do this on the off times he finds you anyway."_

 _Severus nodded once, his face was stony and his lips pursed together tightly in a straight line of determination._

" _It's very VERY important you don't use no wand, you understand me? You need to know how to do it without words and without a wand neither, so your father doesn't ever find out about it."_

 _-0-_

Severus stood up from the floor on which he rolled and began to dress himself. His clothes were ancient. Baggy and badly mismatched. They hung off his small frame so severely that he had the appearance of a small boy playing dress-up in his father's clothes. Tobias couldn't afford to keep buying him new clothes so he wore his father's old ones, which Eileen altered frequently.

The trousers were folded underneath at the ankles and held in place with a few clumsy stitches. They needed to be easily removed so that they could be let down as he grew. The overhang of fabric inside made them difficult to step into, often catching his foot and slowing his progress. His shirt was a button down smock that was yellowed with age and had a lacy cravat collar. He wore a dark fading blazer with fat round buttons on the sleeves overtop his button down, which came in handy when Eileen needed to adjust them to Severus's growing form.

Severus _hated_ his clothes. They made him feel like an oversized bat and he would often feel embarrassed to be seen out in public with them. He knew he looked ridiculous and he couldn't stand the frequent judgemental stares from the townsfolk, both from children and adults alike. He knew better than to complain about it though. He avoided his father at the best of times, and tried his best to keep his head down and interactions to a minimum everywhere in-between.

Severus padded lightly down the stairs, being careful to avoid the ones that creaked. It was routine to let Tobias sleep for as long as possible. Most days he could avoid seeing his father at all in the morning. Severus would either hide in the attic until his father got up and left for work, or he would sneak out before the man could wake-up. It wasn't until nightfall that the hurricane that was Tobias Snape would blast into the house in a drunken stupor and unleash his madness upon all he could lay his hands on. Yes, it was the night you needed to be leery of.

Eileen was already in the kitchen, making her way carefully and silently around the room in an attempt to fix breakfast. There was a loud snort from the single bedroom across the kitchen and Eileen had jumped and frozen in place, not daring to breath. She continued only when she could hear heavy breathing and soft snores drifting back from the tiny bedroom once more, indicating that Tobias was still fast asleep.

She noticed her young son at the foot of the stairs and eyed him warningly, placing a single finger across her lips in a gesture of silence. Severus nodded wordlessly in response and carefully made his way across the room. He picked his chair up off the floor in order to move it so the legs couldn't scrape against the floorboards before he sunk himself into it.

The Snape family home was very small indeed. It consisted of one large room that was divided into the kitchen and sitting room and one small bedroom off the stunted hallway. The sitting room held nothing but a few mismatched sofa chairs, a small wooden side table and a rickety old rocking chair, where Eileen used to sit up, back when she was still nursing Severus. The floo took up what remained of the space there. The stairs that led to the attic where Severus slept was the only other room in the house.

The kitchen was small yet functional, though only just. There was a tiny stove and a refrigerator taking up most of the kitchen space and a laundry line was strung from the kitchen window and across the width of the room, quivering over the countertops. Eileen normally only hung the laundry during the day when the kitchen was otherwise not in use, and the placement was to soak up as much of the sun as possible during the hottest hours of the day.

Eileen had to be very careful how she chose to use wandless magic. She still chanced it every now and again, but she was forbidden to use her wand while under Tobias's roof, and if he caught her at it, he would make her pay dearly for it. She had to do most of the chores and cleaning the Muggle way, by hand and elbow grease. Certain things were, for Eileen, worth the risk however. This was such a circumstance as she peered sadly into the stingy pot of warming beans on the stove.

Taking one last calculating look at the closed door of their tiny bedroom for assurance, Eileen closed her eyes and concentrated. Severus noticed her lips move in a silent incantation though no words escaped between her lips. The pot of warming brown beans rose noticeably as she mouthed wordlessly under her breathe, making it more satisfactory a meal than before she began her chanting. She couldn't chance letting it rise too much, because Tobias would really let her have it if he thought she was using three cans instead of the usual two. Desperate times called for desperate measures however, and as much as she put up with from Tobias, she refused to let her son die of starvation if she could help it.

Satisfied, she quickly spooned runny beans over top a few slices of bread for Severus and placed them in front of him. She speared half a sausage and plated it beside his bread. They were only allowed two. Eileen split hers with her son so that Tobias could have a whole one and hopefully spare them his temper.

She poured herself a cup of herbal tea made from the dried herbs that she grew in their tiny garden. Things such as creams and sugars were luxuries that Tobias only allowed on rare occasions.

" _Wast o' ruddy money that's what that is,"_ he would say.

Eileen sat herself down with her cup of plain herbal tea while at the same time setting down a tall glass of water in front of Severus for his breakfast. Severus was only allowed to have milk or juice once a week if he was lucky. Water was sustaining and didn't cost anything, and so water was what it often was. Severus tucked eagerly into his meager breakfast hoping to get it down and be out the door before his father woke.

There was another loud snort that emitted itself from the bedroom followed shortly by the sounds of stirring bedsheets.

" _Oh no,"_ Severus thought to himself dejectedly.

Tobias Snape appeared in the doorway of the bedroom in his pants and long coat. His hair was in disarray and his eyes were shot with red from the night before. His eyes drooped heavily, making the bags under his eyes appear as though they were created from sliding down his face by the mere weight of them. He thundered across the room like his feet had grown ten times heavier whilst he slept.

He scraped a chair loudly across the floor and collapsed into it, sitting directly across from his young son, who had frozen in place and stared determinedly down at his plate.

"Food Eileen," he said gruffly.

Eileen immediately got up and started plating Tobias's breakfast for him. He watched her for awhile as he waited, eventually catching the wisps of black hair that intercepted his vision causing him to notice Severus sitting like a statue across from him.

"Well, if it isn't my boy," Tobias said silkily. "How are ya today, son?"

"Fine, sir" Severus responded automatically.

"Don' look to me like you's fine. Why don't ya look at me when I'm speakin' to you boy? A father deserves some respect." He slapped his palm against the table making Severus jump. His black eyes left his plate to lock eyes with his father's tired face. "Tha's more like it. Got to show 'em who's boss, show 'em that a boy need be mindful of his Da."

Eileen quickly placed the plate down in front of Tobias to offer him some distraction from their son, her hand resting lovingly on his shoulder to ensure she win back his attention.

It had worked, Tobias's attention turned to the plate of food in front of him, and he started shoving long strips of bread and mushy beans into his mouth, his hands dripping with the runoff. He was chewing with a flourish but it soon slowed and became more deliberate as if he were tasting it for the first time.

"What is this Eileen?"

"W-what do you mean Tobi?" Eileen asked cautiously.

"Did you burn these here beans?" he asked stiffly.

"No! I swear I didn't burn them! I was watching them the whole time."

"You been using magic then?" Tobias shoved the plate away from himself and started to rise. Eileen placed a firm yet gentle hand on his shoulder to keep him in his seat.

"Here, Tobi, you can have mine, I haven't touched them yet. I'm sure they weren't burnt. Severus never said nothing about it." Tobias turned and looked at Severus who still sat unmoving in his seat.

"He don't ever say nothing do he?" Tobias retorted. "Ain't nothin' but a little sissy. You could serve him dog shit and he wouldn't say nothin' 'bout it, look at him Eileen!" Tobias gestured towards his son.

Severus stiffened as Tobias picked up a piece of his bean soaked bread and waved it in front of Severus's face and under his nose, taunting him.

"Hey Sev! I got your order here! Dog shit on bread, you gon' swallow that real nice ain't ya? Ain't no meal tha's better than this is there, boy?"

"Tobias stop that! Let him alone!" Eileen shrieked, making a grab for the arm that was still waving around in front of Severus's face.

Tobias whipped himself around wrenching his arm free from his wife's grasp and backhanding her with it hard across the face with a sickening _smack!_ Eileen let out a small scream and recoiled in shock, her hand resting against the spot where Tobias had struck her. She looked up at him, her eyes brimming over with tears and betrayal. Severus's fists were clenched together so tightly in his lap, he left half moon imprints from his fingernails in his palms, which also happened to be slick with sweat. It was as though everyone was frozen in time. Nobody moved or spoke. Tobias continued to stare at Eileen as if he couldn't comprehend what he had just done, his arm still suspended in midair ready to strike again. The Snape residence was entirely still.

-0-

" _Now look, Severus. Once you've mastered practicing non-verbal spells you need to learn this one first. It's very important." Eileen and Severus were out behind the house again, tucked away in a nestle of trees to avoid any wondering eyes that may happen to pass by. "Say as I say,_ _ **Sentirenon!**_

" _Sentirenon," Severus repeated carefully._

" _Good Sev, good. Now you need to practice the wand movements but you need to have them pictured very clear in your mind. Don't move here," Eileen grabbed Severus's hand and cupped it in her own. "See it here," she placed her fingers at his temple._

 _Eileen demonstrated the wand motions for Severus to memorize and had him repeat consistently for almost an hour, coaching and correcting whenever need be. When she was satisfied with his work she slunk against a nearby tree and sat down, sweat freckling her nose and forehead. Severus sat down next to her._

" _What…what will it do to me?" Severus asked._

" _It's a desensitization spell." Eileen answered. Severus continued to look at her patiently, waiting for more details. Eileen sighed. "It's going to block a good portion of your nerve endins', she explained. "Severus, do you understand what that means? You won't be able to feel none as much. You use_ _ **this**_ _in an emergency when things get real bad with your Da…"_

 _-0-_

They stayed like that for a few moments longer. Moments that seemed to take a lifetime before Tobias cleared his throat and stood up straight, tossing the piece of bean soaked bread at Severus where it bounced off his chest and lay dead on the table.

"I didn' mean no harm by it Eileen," he huffed.

" _No, no, no Sev. Again. Concentrate."_

Tobias crossed the room and disappeared into the bedroom once again. Severus knew that on the occasions his father was sober enough to realize what he did to him or his mum, he would spend the next little while alone in a whirlwind of remorse and self pity.

"Mum?" Severus tried quietly.

"It's fine Sev, go outside and play."

Severus got up from his position at the table and walked towards Eileen who was still holding her cheek. He reached out to her, trying to get a look at the mark that was undoubtedly sprouting beneath her fingertips. Eileen's hand shot out and grasped Severus's hand painfully in her own to stop him from getting any closer.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" she roared. "You get out of this house this instant, do you hear me!"

An angry look of hurt flashed across Severus's young face while he wrenched his hand free of his mother's grasp. He gave her an icy look of contempt before whipping around and storming out the front door, slamming it furiously behind him.

Severus trudged along miserably, fuming after the confrontation he had back at the house. His feet kicked out sporadically to hit anything they could reach: leaves, twigs, rocks, small bits of rubbish, anything he could to vent some frustration. His hands were stuffed in his pockets in tight fists.

Severus didn't notice where his feet were carrying him. He took off through the bunch of trees by the house that wrapped themselves around Cokeworth. He stopped in the middle of a thin clearing and kicked extra hard at a fallen stump that lay there abandoned and forgotten, moss infecting the hollow shell of its diseased remains. Before he knew it, his mind was whirling once again, sending him backwards:

-0-

 _He was five and he had found a tiny bat that lay in the grass obviously injured by something. It squeaked pathetically, it's wing torn and leaking small beads of blood. Severus felt sorry for it. He scooped it up and took it home. He had powers. Magical powers. He bet he could do something to help heal the small creature. He hid the bat in a small box in the attic and attempted to nurse it back to health, concentrating with all his might to make his hands produce the magic that would bring the bat back to life._

 _One night his father had caught him at it, and he grabbed the box and his son and hiked them out into the yard._

" _Ya see this here Sev?" Tobias indicated the poor mewling bat. "It's not worth nothin' to you or me. This parasite ain't doin' no good to anyone. It's nuthin' but a furry casket o' rabies and its in this family's best interest to exterminate it. Now boy, you gon' put this vermin out of its misery, or so help me-"_

 _Eileen came out of the house and peered around the side of the stoop._

" _Tobi, what are you doin' with Severus?"_

" _Teachin' 'im to be a man. You coddle the boy too much Eileen! He needs some toughenin' up!" Eileen had come up behind them and seen what Tobias had taken from the house. She let out a small gasp which she stifled against a closed fist._

" _Tobi! You can't! He's just a boy!"_

" _Shut it Eileen!" Tobias shouted. He put the bat on the grass in front of Severus and handed him a large garden stone. "Do it Sev, show yer ma how much of a man you are!"_

 _-0-_

Severus sniffed loudly as a tear slid smoothly down the bridge of his long hooked nose, followed by another which balanced precariously on its tip. He wiped them away furiously. He hated showing weakness, if his father caught him crying-

Severus closed his eyes and concentrated. Somewhere close by the smell of fresh burning wood hit his nostrils and he opened them again to look down at his handiwork. Three ragged, angry gashes were burned deep into the wooden trunk of the nearest tree, still red hot in the center. The outer portion of the scarred marks were nothing but cracked and crumbling charcoal.

He glanced around to get his bearings and figure out where he was. His feet had carried him almost automatically to the edge of the wooded barrier and he recognized it immediately. He was on the brink of the park that the Evans girl lived near.

He glanced around the nearly deserted playground and then spotted two far away figures on a swing set. One girl was wearing a white floral sundress and had vibrant red hair, the other was in a matching yellow pencil skirt and blouse with her blonde hair done up in a bun. Severus recognized the red headed girl immediately, a tinge of color peppered his sallow cheeks and he dived under the nearest hedge of bushes to avoid being seen by the girls.

He had been watching the red headed girl for quite some time now. Lily. Her name was Lily. He first noticed her when he was skulking around town, looking to make some pocket money to buy food. Severus was outside the grocers offering a hand and loading the shopper's many parcels in hopes he may receive compensation from a generous stranger.

The girls had left the store with their parents, and the elder sister had tripped over the curb and stumbled backwards. She should have hit her head against a nearby lamp post had it not bent unnaturally to avoid collision with the girl's skull. Severus gawked in confusion. While the adults were busy tending to the elder girl's skinned knees and tearful sobs, Severus was watching the red head analytically. She had gone momentarily rigid, and she had an intense look of contemplation on her face. From there forward he was determined to find out if she was like him.

He kept an eye out for opportunities to spy on her whenever he was out of the house and exploring the town, which was often, to further confirm his suspicions. Severus had played the moment out in his head many times before. How he would tell her that she was a witch and he a wizard. That they were special, better than everyone else and there was a whole world of their kind hidden away in plain sight. He would tell her all about the magical boarding schools, but especially Hogwarts, where they were destined to go and get special training. How they would become inseparable.

The fact that the girl, Lily, was very pretty did not escape his attentions either. He sometimes found himself fantasizing that their inevitable friendship would blossom into more and he would see himself kissing her cheek, or holding her hand. Such fantasies were a good distraction from his otherwise miserable existence.

Severus peered through the bushes watching the girls. Lily would swing as high as she could before she would jump off and float back down to the ground and land gingerly on her feet unharmed, giggling frantically. The other one was screaming at her not to. He could hear some distant excited chatter before he realized that they-

They were running straight towards his hiding spot! Severus flushed and ducked his head hastily out of sight. He heard the approaching footsteps grow nearer and stop on the other side of his bush. Severus's heart was racing now, and he swallowed hard as he listened carefully and tried to peer through the gaps in the branches.

Severus saw Lily duck down to pick something up off the ground. He caught a flash of her red hair as she bent over. She straightened and there were a few moment's silence that were followed by the shrill shrieking of the other one.

"Stop it!"

"It's not hurting you," he heard Lily protest in annoyance.

"It's not right," the girl said softly. More silence. "How do you do it?" Even Severus could hear the desperation that clung heavy in her voice. He couldn't handle it anymore, and he rolled his eyes in exasperation. She had to know what she was. She had to know that she was special. She was _better-_

Before Severus realized what he was doing he had jumped up and stepped over the bush towards Lily.

"Well, it's obvious isn't it?" -

 **A/N: End chapter one. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update as I'm very busy with wedding things and podcast happenings but likes and reviews may encourage me to pump them out faster ;)**

 **Thanks for everyone who chooses to support me on this venture! I'm sure it will be an emotional ride we can partake in together. :3**

 ***Minor re-editing***


	2. Chapter 2: Lily

Chapter 2: Lily

Lily Evans had always considered herself a relatively normal girl. She had no problem making friends, she wasn't insecure or ill mannered and she always tried to see the good in people. She loved her parents, and her older sister, even if she could be difficult to deal with at times. Lily just wrote it off as 'normal sibling stuff.' Sometimes sisters just _had_ to drive each other crazy, it was like some ancient right of kin or something.

Despite that, she couldn't help but notice that strange things _did_ have a habit of happening around her. Things that she just couldn't explain. It's like, if she wished really hard and she wanted it bad enough, it almost always worked out more often than not, in her favor. But as time went by she had to admit to herself that she could no longer dismiss them as mere coincidences.

It was far too _convenient._ She first realized it when she was 5 or 6. She and Petunia were climbing trees and Petunia was climbing so quickly she was leaving Lily behind.

" _Wait for me Tuney, not so fast!"_

There were bits of dirt falling into her eyes from Petunia climbing ahead of her, making it difficult to see where she was going. Despite that, she was determined to keep up with her sister and so, even though she was blinking rapidly and her eyes were watery with debris, she tried to climb faster. In her urgency, her hand missed the next branch completely, and she had the sensation of being suspended in midair with nothing to grab hold of. Her heart jumped into her throat and was instantly followed by that inevitable surge of terror. She felt herself tip forward, had opened her mouth to start screaming, expecting at any moment to crash headfirst into the unforgiving grounds below.

But, it never came. She opened her eyes to find herself safely on the ground. She was standing upright, her feet planted firmly in the dirt as if she never started to climb that horrible tree in the first place.

Lily _knew_ that she had been about to fall, knew that by all rights she should have been picking herself up off the ground in a tangled pile of limbs and broken bones. But she wasn't. She was fine. A little shaken maybe, but otherwise unharmed.

From there, she started experimenting, concentrating hard on what she wanted to happen. She performed better when she was alone, but she had managed to show her mum and dad (who, for weeks refused to believe a word of it) by floating a pencil at the kitchen table. They were weirded out for sure, but otherwise handled it alright. Still, she wasn't allowed to do those sorts of things outside the safety of the house. It was far too _unnatural._

"Look at me," Petunia said, snapping Lily out of her reverie. She stared intently at her younger sister, her brow furrowed. She re-positioned Lily's face, with her thumb and index finger cupping her chin firmly. "Now go like this..." Petunia demonstrated pursing her lips out like she was eagerly awaiting a kiss from an invisible stranger.

Lily copied her sister obediently. If she let Petunia do this, she promised she would go with her to the park later. Besides, make-up may not exactly be her thing, but it was fun to have Petunia's _full_ attention for once and the gussying up wasn't _so_ bad…

Petunia started to smear Lily's lips with a dark red lipstick they borrowed from their mum's bureau. Her movements were slow and precise as she filled in all the gaps, her tongue pushing against the inside of her cheek as she concentrated. Satisfied, she chose a mossy green eyeshadow that she said would bring out Lily's eyes and swept it across her lids. She finished with a thick coat of mascara, screwing the cap back on and stepping back to admire her handiwork.

"How does it look?" Lily was almost afraid to ask.

"I think it's pretty," Petunia said, shrugging.

Lily got up out of the chair she was sitting in and crossed the room to the vanity. She almost didn't want to look, for fear she actually _did_ look how she _thought_ she might. Lily took a deep breath and held it high in her chest, letting it out slowly in preparation for her reflection.

"Tunia!" she protested, "I look like a witch!" Petunia came up behind her stifling a giggle.

"It's definitely an improvement," she quipped.

"Oh shut up," Lily laughed. She picked up the discarded lipstick and uncapped it with a devious grin, leaning smugly against the vanity.

"What are you doing Lily?" Petunia asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing.

"Nothing," Lily responded in mock innocence as she slowly wound the tube to reveal the deep crimson inside.

"Don't you _dare!"_ Petunia warned. "Mummy's going to kill you. She's actually going to kill you dead." Petunia took one cautious step back, eyeing Lily with trepidation.

Lily pretended to consider Petunia's threat. "Hmm, well I guess that's a risk-" she paused, "-I'm willing to take!" She bounded towards Petunia who screamed playfully and ran from the room. Lily took off after her amongst gales of laughter.

"No! Mum!" Petunia screamed, laughing. Lily caught up to her, taking a calculating dive and grabbing her sisters ankles. Petunia staggered and fell onto the floor with a loud thud. "Ow!" Petunia exclaimed still giggling.

Lily took the opportunity to advance on Petunia, crawling on top of her and shouting "There will be no mercy!" Petunia screamed and tried to wriggle out of her sister's hold, but Lily was quicker and in one fluid motion she swiped the lipstick across Petunia's exposed cheek leaving a long, dark, crimson streak.

Lily felt Petunia's muscles relax in defeat as she continued with fits of breathy laughter. "Ugh! Lily! Stop!" She pleaded, her chest heaving to try and catch her breath. "Mummy!" She swatted at her sister a couple times before Lily gave in and got off of her, cheeks flushed and still giggling.

"Well, it's definitely an improvement," she breathed echoing Petunia's earlier sentiment.

"You butt!" Petunia exclaimed. "Now I have to go wash this off." she rolled over and stomped off to the bathroom.

"Like it would help!" Lily called after her. She ducked as a towel went zooming by her head. Lily laughed again. "Maybe you can rinse out the attitude too."

"GIRLS!"

"Sorry, Mum!" Lily called downstairs.

"Oh and Lily, don't wash that off yet," Petunia said from the bathroom. "I want you to show Mummy."

Lily groaned. "Really? Must we?" Petunia nodded sharply and Lily just rolled her eyes.

"GIRLS! Breakfast!" Mrs. Evans called from the kitchen.

"Coming Mum!" the girls echoed in unison.

A few moments later there were two sets of feet thumping noisily down the stairs as Lily attempted to race Petunia to the bottom. Petunia grabbed the back of Lily's shirt and pulled hard causing Lily to stagger backwards and allowing Petunia to rocket ahead of her to the kitchen, laughing maniacally.

Andrew Evans was already seated at the breakfast table reading the morning paper while sipping his coffee, his index finger tapping on the rim of the mug absentmindedly as he read. He only glanced up when the two girls came tearing through the kitchen, breathing heavily. Their gleeful faces were a mixture of wide smiles and playful exhaustion.

Mr. Evans had a saying. If his house was a garden then he had the most beautiful flowers in the world. He loved his wife and two beautiful daughters more than anything and it was clear he thought himself the luckiest man on the planet.

"There they are!" Mr. Evans announced jovially when he spotted the girls. "Wow! I must say, Lily you look ravishing this morning," he chuckled noticing her make up.

Lily bent low in a dramatic curtsy, holding the tips of her shirt out as though she were wearing an extravagant ball gown instead of a normal gingham tank top. "Why thank-you kindly good sir, how nice of you to notice," she replied in mock falsetto.

The two girls plopped themselves into their seats. Lily immediately grabbed the flagon of orange juice and poured herself a glass. Sounds of scraping pans and sizzling bacon floated from the kitchen as Mrs. Evans busied herself with breakfast. At the table, Mr. Evans folded up his newspaper and set it aside, sniffing the air comically.

"Smells fantastic Camelia," he said loudly. "But, I just don't know if I'll be able to wait any longer. I'm getting mighty hungry..." Mr. Evans ducked his head down under the table and roared happily, grabbing at his daughters feet. The girls shrieked with delight and attempted to hide their toes against the backs of their chairs dissolving into fits of giggles.

"Really, Andrew!" Mrs. Evans scolded. "Not at the table." She had whisked out of the kitchen, burdened by two enormous plates. One was laden with hot, greasy bacon and the other held a beacon of fluffy pancakes, overflowing with syrup.

"Sorry Camelia, dear" he said joyfully. "Couldn't help myself." He winked at his girls and they continued to giggle sheepishly in response.

Mrs. Evans set the plates down in front of her husband, planting a casual kiss on the top of his head as she did so. Lily and Petunia had already started to load their plates with the pancakes. Lily begun to tuck in, chewing large mouthfuls and washing it down with a good drought of orange juice in between swallows. Petunia, who had failed to start eating, was looking carefully around the table.

"Has anyone seen the-"

The ketchup bottle shot across the table and into Lily's outstretched hand. Petunia shrieked.

"Mum! She's doing it again!"

"Lily..." Mrs. Evans warned sternly.

"What? I'm still in the house aren't I?" Lily asked annoyed.

"What have I told you about doing... doing _that?_ "

"Not to do it outside the house. Which I'm not!" Lily retorted.

"Not in front of your sister!"

"But-"

"It upsets her."

"But-"

"Please-" Mrs. Evans sighed and then tried again more gently. "Please, Lily. Can you do that for me?" she smiled imploringly at her youngest daughter.

"Yes, Mum," Lily responded automatically.

"Good girl," Mrs. Evans kissed her daughter on top of the head as she got up from the table, taking her plate back with her to the kitchen.

Lily pushed a piece of pancake around on her plate moodily. Across the table, Petunia had a look of smugness on her face that was infuriating.

"So," Mr. Evans spoke up suddenly in an attempt to ease the tension, "what's on the agenda for today girls?"

Lily shrugged. "Park later...I guess."

"Ah, that will be nice then won't it?" said Mr. Evans cheerfully. "You girls will get a chance to spend some quality time." He glanced at the clock. "Great Scot! I gotta get going or I'm gonna be late!" he said in a rush. He stuffed the last piece of bacon into his mouth, downed the last of his coffee and got up from the table. He ran to the door giving the girls hurried hugs on his way. At the front door he grabbed his hat and jacket and clumsily picked up his briefcase. "Bye Girls!"

"Bye Dad! Love you!"

"Bye Daddy!"

"Good-bye dear! Have a good day at work!"

The door slammed shut followed by several moments silence. Petunia continued to chew her bacon slowly while Mrs. Evans set about clearing the table.

"May I be excused?" Lily asked politely. "I need time to get this stuff off before I can show my face in public again." She shot Petunia with an icy glare.

"Yes Lily, you may." Mrs. Evans sighed catching her daughter's tone.

Lily pushed herself away from the table and plodded upstairs to the bathroom, desperate to rid herself of the mess. After a few washes and lots of scrubbing that left her skin tainted pink, she retreated to her bedroom.

As far as bedrooms go Lily always thought that hers was more agreeable than most. It was a fair size and had two sunny windows that bathed the room in light. Her bed lay just to the right of those windows and in the morning she would often wake with the delicate warmth of the sun beaming through the glass and creating bright beams that danced and flickered along the carpet. Just outside her windows, there was a spit of roof that allowed her to sit outside like a balcony. Her walls were painted a pale lilac purple and she had a squashy white armchair where she could sit and read her books without interruption.

There were other bits of furniture strewn carefully about the room. A tall white bookshelf packed with her favorite adventures, the vanity with a big glossy mirror pushed up against the wall and a great big wardrobe that was large enough to hide in. When she was smaller, she used to pretend it was a fort and it wasn't uncommon for Mrs. Evans to find her in the wardrobe sipping tea with her dollies.

Lily crossed to her vanity and ran a brush through her hair several times before picking it up and tying it back. She considered herself in the mirror a moment, decided she didn't like it and shook it out again, instead replacing it with a thick fabric headband. This would give her the advantage of keeping her hair out of her face without the hassle of tying it back completely.

"Lily! Hurry-up!" Petunia shouted from downstairs.

"OK I'm coming!" Lily shouted back. She took one final look in the mirror, satisfied that she had all the makeup off, or at least enough that she felt confident she wouldn't make a fool of herself, and swept out the door.

Lily and Petunia walked to the playground, their sandals scuffing along the sidewalk noisily. It was a beautiful day and the summer sun was creeping higher in the sky which was a clear denim blue. The birds were tweeting merrily and somewhere in the distance the faded jingle of an ice cream truck drifted up the street. Lily hopped between the bricks of asphalt, determined not to step on any of the cracks as they continued their walk in comfortable silence.

They approached the playground which was huddled away in a basin of land and surrounded by trees on one side, thus providing it with desolate seclusion.

"Last one to the swings is a rotten egg!" Lily sang as she sprinted down the hill. Petunia took off after her sister. Lily screamed as she bounded down the hill. She was running so fast she thought she was going to trip and roll the rest of the way down, her adrenaline pumping with the anticipation of Petunia catching her up.

They came speeding into the swing set, Lily collapsing onto the seat on her tummy and making the swing sway sporadically. The girls giggled and began to swing, pumping their legs furiously to gain more height than the other. Lily started to gain more and more distance, climbing higher.

"Tuney, watch! Watch me jump!"

Petunia looked scared and her swinging faltered a little as she watched Lily continue to fly higher on her swing, making the seat bounce from the rapid retraction of the chain at its peak.

"Lily, don't do it!" Petunia shrieked.

But it was too late. Lily had let go of her swing and thrown herself forward, flying through the air like some bizarre trapeze artist, floating far too gracefully and remaining airborne for far too long. She landed nimbly on her feet, laughing. Petunia dug her heels into the gravel, skidding to a stop.

"Mummy told you not to! Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!" Petunia scolded, her hands on her hips.

"But I'm fine" Lily giggled. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do."

Lily ran towards the Laurel bushes and stooped to pick up one of the discarded buds littering the ground. She waited until Petunia had come close enough to see what she was doing. She opened her palm and concentrated. She concentrated on making the flower petals move and sway independently from one another as though locked in an exquisite dance.

"Stop it!" Petunia shrieked.

"It's not hurting you!" Lily demanded as she crumpled the blossom and threw it back onto the ground indignantly.

"It's not right." Petunia said staring at the discarded flower that lay wrinkled on the turf. "How do you do it?"

"It's obvious isn't it?"

A small skinny boy had appeared suddenly from behind the laurel bushes. He had sallow skin, and long dark hair that hung in curtains framing his thin face. He wore horribly mismatched clothes: a yellowing smock shirt, an oversized dark, faded blazer that swallowed his hands and baggy patched trousers that would have been falling down if not for the bit of wash line tied around his waist. Petunia screamed and took off towards the swing set. Lily looked affronted but stood her ground, hands on hips.

"What's obvious?" she asked cooly.

The boy looked embarrassed as Lily spoke, he was looking at his shoes and color crept high on his cheekbones. He chanced a glance at Petunia haunting the swing set and then leaned in to Lily, lowering his voice so she wouldn't hear.

"I know what you are." He breathed.

"What do you mean 'what' I am?"

"You're… You're a witch" the boy whispered slowly.

Lily looked offended. Her eyes widened in surprise, her jaw tightening and her eyes narrowing.

" _That's_ not a very nice thing to say to somebody!"

Without another word she turned her back on the stringy boy and stalked off towards her older sister, nose in the air.

"No, wait!" the boy called after her. He started to run after them, his shirt sleeves flailing through the air at his sides. Lily had retreated to the swings along with Petunia, one hand holding onto the iron framework if only to put something between her and the strange boy. She was quite obviously uncomfortable.

"You _are,_ you _are_ a witch. I've been watching you for awhile. But there's nothing wrong with that. My mum's one, and I'm a wizard."

Petunia laughed shrilly, caught somewhere between the need to shame the boy and genuine disbelief.

"A Wizard!" She scoffed. "I know who _you_ are," she said, "you're that Snape boy! They live down Spinner's End by the river," she told Lily acidly. "Why have you been spying on us?"

"Haven't been spying…" Snape said uneasily. "Wouldn't spy on _you_ anyway," he told Petunia maliciously, " _you're_ a Muggle."

Petunia spluttered with resentment, her mouth opening and closing as though she were trying to think of some spiteful retort but was unable to find the words. Clearly she didn't understand what the Snape boy called her and she was struggling to regain her composure. She ' _humphed'_ haughtily.

"Come on Lily, we're leaving!" she said shrilly. Lily glared at Snape as they passed, stalking off after her sister.

"Wait!" Lily heard him call after them. "You _are_ a witch Lily! If you want, I'll be waiting for you by the river! Tomorrow then!" he shouted. There was a brief pause then he added, "There's nothing wrong with it!"

There was a sudden flash and the river and bridge that divided the town sprung suddenly into Lily's mind. Her heart sped up, the picture painted so vividly in her mind's eye she could have been watching it on a television set. She faltered slightly with surprise, but before she had a chance to understand what had happened it was over. Gone.

She understood that _somehow_ the Snape boy was the one responsible, but she couldn't explain how she knew. She just _did_. She chanced a glance behind her and saw a lone black figure retreating back the way it had come. She could tell by his stature, even at this distance, that he was disappointed. His shoulders slumped and his hands were stuffed inside his pockets his head hanging low, staring at the ground in front of him as he trudged forward. He didn't see her look back.

For the rest of the day Lily couldn't get the boy out of her mind. She kept replaying the events at the park on repeat hoping to discover some other clue that he may have indeed been telling the truth. Something other than the vision. When that failed to turn up anything new, she sifted through her own thoughts and memories, connecting the evidence through incidents in her own life.

What the boy said _did_ make a lot of sense. It would explain how she was able to do things that nobody else seemed able to. At least, not anyone she _knew._ At least not anyone she knew until -

" _Snape"_ she whispered desolately into her pillows.

Lily rolled over and tried to calm her whirling mind. Tomorrow everything would be made clear she decided. Tomorrow she would see the boy again and ask him all the questions that were eating at her from the inside. Then maybe, she could make a well informed decision on whether or not she could trust him.

' _Tomorrow,'_ she thought, as she drifted off silently into a restless sleep. ' _Until, tomorrow.'_

 ** _A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed this fic! If you have read and haven't reviewed...well then you should ;) I just wanted to pop on here to say that just like in the first chapter, there were lines borrowed directly from The Deathly Hallows "The Prince's Tale". I don't own these lines or what happens in this part of the story. I've just changed perspective and rewritten it. There were a few minor changes I made to fit the flow of the story, (Mostly a few added lines) but it remains pretty much the same._**

 ** _*Minor Re-editing*_**


	3. Chapter 3: Severus

Chapter 3: Severus

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Severus thought, berating himself silently.

Of all the outcomes he could have imagined, this was _definitely_ not one of them. How many times had he gone over this scene in his head? How many nights had he distracted himself with thoughts of the first time he would finally meet the spirited witch? One thing was for sure, in his head, none of them had been this mortifying. None had gone this horribly _wrong._

He imagined Lily's reaction to be one of, what? Excitement? Happiness? Relief? Understanding? Maybe all of the above. But he wasn't prepared for the disdain. Those eyes with their piercing glare. _Gods how she looked at him!_ It was like she _hated_ him. Those eyes that shot daggers right through him, like they could reach through his chest and strangle his heart. It certainly felt that way, he thought miserably. His chest felt incredibly tight and it was hard to breathe with those eyes penetrating his soul.

 _Gods what was he doing here?_

He almost hadn't come. He felt foolish. Of course she wouldn't come. Severus should have been big enough to admit that, especially judging from the events of yesterday. He should have known that she would stay away. But, for some God forsaken reason, he dared to hope.

This morning he had mulled it over in his head as he lay on his lumpy mattress in the attic. He thought about just hiding away until his father left for work when he would be free, once again, to loom about the house. He wondered if waking Tobias could be worth the risk after what happened between them the other day. He almost couldn't bring himself to move. But then, he thought about the look on Lily's face if she, by some miracle, showed up and he wasn't there to greet her. That had been enough for him to make up his mind. As it was, his window of opportunity was drastically shortening with each fleeting moment of internal debate.

He bolted upright in bed, overtaken by a brief moment of panic. He tossed the thinning sheet off himself and dressed quickly but silently. He ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame some of the wildness that settled there from years of neglect, and then crept carefully down the stairs.

Once Severus had a sweeping view of the main floor, his heart gave a sickening lurch at the sight of Tobias lying passed out on the tiny sofa. It appeared he hadn't made it to the bedroom after last night's ramification. His arm lay across his face causing him to snore louder than usual and, cradled in his other hand, a mostly empty bottle of booze stood on the floor, his harsh fingers laying gingerly at its neck.

Severus, though in a hurry, took his time crossing the room with muted care. He made it as far as the door and had already unlatched it quietly when something made him look back. He stared at the great lump that was Tobias for several moments. Inside, a war rampaged, brewing just below the surface of his skin, as he struggled between what was right and what was easy.

Severus clenched his hands into tight fists and tossed his head back in silent frustration, evidently coming to a conclusion he didn't much care for. His black eyes lingered on the near-empty bottle of booze, sizzling wickedly at him from across the room, then to his father's fingers pressed softly against the neck of the bottle.

The picture before him was one of deception. It was far too easy for Severus to remember how rough those fingers were. How much strength was encased inside them. How easily they could cut into the delicate flesh of his throat, crushing it to the point of suffocation. It only served as a reminder that he took the backseat when it came to Tobias and his drink. Those fingers caressing the glass as though it were a fragile baby bird-

- _bat-_

-and something far more precious to him than Severus ever could be.

It took him several moments to find his feet again and several more to get them to obey his commands. Severus swallowed hard and then stalked timidly towards his father's massive frame. This was a delicate procedure, and the utmost care needed to be taken to guarantee success. One step. Two steps. Three, and then five more, each more cautious than the last until he was standing right in front of the large man, snoring boorishly on the sofa.

Severus bent down low, afraid that even the shifting of his clothes against his body would be enough to waken the sleeping behemoth. He grasped the bottle at it's base, picked it up the tiniest width off the floor so it wouldn't give him away and set about trying to remove it from the pads of Tobias's fingers. Luckily, the grip was loose and with the patient precision of a doctor performing surgery Severus successfully removed the bottle from Tobias's hand. He slowly let out a stunted breath he didn't realize he had been holding and crossed back into the kitchen as fluidly as he had come.

There may not have been a lot left in the bottle, but it was enough for Severus to risk obtaining it...for his mother's sake. He tipped the bottle directly over the drain and emptied it straight into the sink, shaking out the last few drops. He wondered briefly if he should try putting it back where he found it, but decided it was too dangerous. He compromised by setting the bottle down beside the sofa, but well out of his father's reach. He was probably too drunk to notice that he had moved it in the first place, and he would assume that he finished what was left in the bottle before he passed out. This way, if Tobias woke up still drunk, he couldn't draw out his intoxication which could potentially spare Eileen a few moments morning peril. Satisfied, but desperate to depart, Severus stepped out into the early light of day and into freedom.

Now, as he stood waiting at the shoreline of the river for a girl who hated him, and more than likely wasn't going to show up anyway, he had to wonder if any of it had been worth it.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Severus threw a rock into the river as hard as he could in frustration, continuing to throw the remaining stones collected in his fist. Each throw stopping shorter than the last as he became more and more defeated, until the final stone nose-dived at his feet.

 _She's not coming,_ he decided.

He still didn't know why he refused to admit the reality of it earlier. He supposed somewhere deep down he still held onto a little bit of hope. He felt thick and his sallow face started to flush with embarrassment, the color creeping higher in his cheeks. Maybe his father was right about him after all. He turned to go, his fists taking their usual refuge inside his massive pockets.

"You're not leaving are you?"

Severus whipped around to see Lily Evans standing there in a baby blue floral sundress and dirty sandals. She was carrying a small package wrapped in a plain white dishcloth which she held suspended in front of her by the knot in which it was tied. Her face appeared round and wary under the flock of vibrant red hair, hardly visible from this distance. Evidently she was still suspicious of the boy in front of her, preferring to keep considerable distance between the two of them.

"Oh...I- I mean...I guess...didn't expect...didn't know you were coming," Severus stammered nervously. His hands were wringing in front of him and he didn't dare look the girl in the eye, preferring to keep his gaze on his restless hands.

Lily considered him for a moment and then, noticing his nervousness, relaxed her stance a little, her shoulders slumping down to their natural position instead of drawn up by her ears.

"Snape-" Lily started.

"Severus," he replied automatically.

"Severus?" Lily repeated carefully as though evaluating the way his name felt on her tongue. "That's a strange name," she stated bluntly. What little color had been left from his previous embarrassment drained, leaving him white and translucent.

"Is it? Well-my mum, you know...family name," he finished lamely.

"I still don't know if I should trust you," Lily replied ignoring his response about the name. Whether it was from kindness or superiority he couldn't tell. "Tuney said I shouldn't have come. Tuney says you're lying to me so I'll be your friend. If you _are_ lying to me then I want you to know I think you're horrible." Color was rising in _her_ cheeks now, as she hollered across the distance still separating them.

"No! I'm not!" said Severus desperately. "You're a witch! It's not something to be afraid of! You're not like most kids around here, you're like me! You're special! _We're_ special!"

"I don't know if I believe you," she said again, quieter this time.

"Then why did you come?" Severus asked angrily. If she came all the way out here just to mock him then she could figure it out on her own-

A few moments silence passed between them as Lily seemed to think on her response. It seemed Severus had caught her off guard.

"I-" she faltered. "Because-"

He turned to leave again, stuffing his hands back inside his pockets bitterly.

"Because- I believe you!" she called after him in a rush. The revelation hung heavy between them as Severus took in her words, her voice dying on the breeze. She had taken a few hurried steps towards him in her desperation, not allowing him to leave without her. Neither one of them moved or spoke.

"I believe you OK?" Lily said again, breaking the silence. "I tried not to, Tuney said I'll regret it and that I was stupid if I did. But-" she trailed off. "What you said made sense."

Severus turned around to find Lily staring at him imploringly, her green eyes no longer full of fear and distrust but of hunger and determination. He supposed he could understand her desperation. He had never had the truth hidden from him and it was a hard truth to come to terms with, he reasoned.

"Come on then," he told her as he continued to walk in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Lily called, closing the distance between herself and Severus in a few hurried strides, staggering as her feet slipped on the wet uneven ground. "Where are you going? I thought we were going to talk."

"We are," Severus answered patiently, "Just not here.

Lily sped up until she passed Severus who continued to walk casually down the bank. Spinning around she confronted him hands on hips, creating a barricade with her body. "Why not?" she demanded.

Severus looked mildly affronted. "Because we're not supposed to. It's against Wizarding law." Lily continued to look at him impatiently. He sighed, "the Ministry of Magic has laws, just like the Muggles have. We can't do magic in front of Muggles and we can't talk about our world in front of Muggles. You could risk getting put in Azkaban for breaking the Statute of Secrecy. We have to go someplace we won't be heard."

Lily's face had wrinkled in confusion at the word ' _Azkaban'._ "What's-"

"Not here," Severus hissed. He looked around the banks of the river to make sure that they were indeed still alone. "I promise I'll answer all your questions, you just have to wait a little longer. I know a place we can go." He turned his mouth into what he hoped was a convincing smile.

Lily looked like the last thing she wanted to do was go wandering off in the middle of nowhere with a boy she hardly knew. She glanced around apprehensively, taking in the sight of the enormous river and then the woods that wrapped themselves around town. She was clearly struggling to come to terms with what he was asking her to do.

"You mean, you want me to follow _you_ to a place that only _you_ know about in the middle of- God knows where, by myself when I've known you for five minutes?" Lily asked skeptically.

Severus shrugged as if to say 'I guess so' with a charming yet innocent lopsided smirk. Lily, who looked like she was doing this completely outside her better judgement, sighed heavily and stepped aside for Severus to continue leading the way.

They continued up the bank for quite some time. Severus occasionally glanced at Lily, trudging along in his wake, to make sure she was keeping up. The shoreline tapered off before it became steeper, no longer a gradual fusion of land and water. Instead of rocky banks and slick mud there was now lush green grass. The dirt said farewell to the shore as the land rose and they came to a fairly open field, a small thicket of trees poking out majestically in the small meadow.

Once they had ventured near the center of it, Severus veered off course and set off into the wood, following an invisible path with which he was well acquainted. Lily didn't ask questions but continued to follow him quietly. It didn't take long before they came to a clearing in the dense trees. Severus entered the clearing with Lily in tow and turned around watching her reproachfully, thus indicating their arrival.

Lily looked around cautiously, taking in her surroundings as though she were trying to commit them all to memory. Her fingers traced three deep gashes etched into a nearby tree, burnt black on the outside. Now that they were alone in the middle of the woods, Lily seemed to re-adopt some of her old suspicion. She looked defiantly at Severus.

"How do I know you are what you say you are?" she demanded.

"Are you asking for proof?" Severus responded smoothly.

Lily nodded. Severus tried to think of what he could do to convince Lily that he was indeed a wizard. Most of the wandless magic he knew were defensive spells and hexes, dangerous in a sense, and he didn't want to frighten her with some violent display of magic.

 _Well-_

There was one thing he could do. He could do it for as long as he could remember. He was convinced that with age and practice he would continue to get better, but for right now it would have to do. It's all he could think of to convince Lily of his abilities without sending her screaming in the opposite direction.

He cleared his mind and black eyes locked with green. Lily shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, the intensity seemed to make her a little uneasy.

 _Two girls were fighting. No. Not just ordinary girls, but sisters. Lily's sister...the Muggle. He could see her in her fluffy pink dressing robe, hands on hips shrieking as though greatly offended by something. He could see, but not hear, as they squabbled. He didn't need to hear the shouts to know that this particular fight was a bad one, even for them. The expression on the Muggle sister's face was enough to tell him all he needed to know. A stab of anger hit, mixed with frustration. Trust and doubt intermingled, struggling for dominance. Worry, anxiety, fear, and anticipation._

Severus disconnected himself from Lily, he felt drained and he was panting slightly.

"You had a fight with your sister."

"How did you-"

"You're still upset about it."

"What did you do?" Lily asked in a small voice.

"I just get flashes sometimes. I can see things others have seen. Feel what they feel when they think about them."

"You can read minds?" Lily asked, amazed.

"I don't think it works like that exactly…" Severus said uncomfortably. Lily continued to look impressed as she gawked at the small dark haired wizard in front of her.

"Wait," she said suddenly, "so it was you that put that image in my head yesterday?"

"What image?" Severus asked confused.

"Yesterday after Tuney and I left the park, I had a vision of the bridge and the riverbank. It was how I knew where to find you"-

"Oh-I...if I did...didn't do it on purpose...I never…" Severus stammered nervously.

 _What did this mean? He had never sent an image to someone else before. At least, not that he knew of. As far as he could tell he was only a receiver._

Lily was still looking at him with excitement and awe. Severus wished she wouldn't, it was making him uncomfortable. He took a few backwards steps and then sat down against the nearest tree trunk. The effort of catching Lily's thoughts left him feeling physically weak and his head was starting to spin.

Lily walked over to where he sat and plunked herself down beside him. She was sitting cross legged, the dish towel package perched in her lap. She looked thoughtful.

"What's _Azkaban?"_ she asked suddenly.

"What? Oh- right. It's the wizard prison."

"There's a wizard prison!" Lily asked enthusiastically.

"Well of course there's a wizard prison. They could just apparate out of a regular Muggle one couldn't they?. There ain't-"

Severus appeared to be struggling. He stopped abruptly, squeezing his eyes shut and backtracking to the beginning of his sentence.

"There **is** **no** regular prison that can hold a wizard."

"How do they keep them in there?" Lily asked curiously.

"There are all kinds of spells and enchantments around the place. Not only that but it's in the middle of the ocean, so no Muggles can get to it. Then there's the Dementors." Lily's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Dementors are really horrible creatures that feed off happiness," Severus explained. "They thrive in places like Azkaban. There are loads of them there." Lily shivered in disgust.

"That sounds awful." she said.

"Yeah, but only really dark wizards get sent there..." Severus sounded like he was half trying to convince himself of this.

"I'm hungry," Lily announced, if just to change the subject. "I brought some snacks." She indicated the wrapped parcel in her lap with a timid smile. "I wasn't sure how long I would be out for," she explained, "so I brought enough for the both of us."

Severus looked embarrassed. He looked at his hands fidgeting in his lap as some color crept up his neck. He didn't want Lily to know how hungry he was, and he also didn't wish to look too eager or pathetic in front of her. If Lily noticed his discomfort she pretended not to, which he was grateful for. He watched her unwrap her parcel from the dish towel, laying it out on the ground in front of them.

There were two sandwiches with corned beef, lettuce, tomato and mustard on fluffy brown bread. There were apples and oranges, ginger biscuits and sugar coated candies in different colors that Lily said were called 'Jelly Babies'. Severus had never seen so many wonderful things in one spread in his whole life. He felt self conscious as he looked over the assortment of goodies Lily brought, his hands clenched together nervously in his lap.

Severus hoped he wouldn't have to be the first to reach out and take something. The thought made him anxious and his stomach fluttered uncomfortably. But before he had time to really think about it, Lily had scooped up a sandwich and thrust it into his hands.

"Here," she said "eat, it'll help. You look like you're ready to pass out."

"Thanks," Severus said gratefully, taking a generous bite of sandwich. It was wonderful, Severus didn't get luxuries like fresh lettuce and tomatoes or even mustard for his bread. Such things were expensive and unnecessary according to his father. He noticed Lily eyeing him softly, but the moment his eyes met hers she looked back at her own sandwich, taking a small hurried bite as if she hadn't noticed him in the first place.

"So," she said to cover the awkwardness "when can I learn to read people's minds like you can?"

Severus swallowed his mouthful of sandwich.

"Oh-um," he started hesitantly "I-I don't know- but, if you're going to learn how to be a proper witch, you'll definitely be going to Hogwarts!" he said excitedly. "That's where my mum went, I'm sure that's where they'll send us too."

"What sort of place is Hogwarts?" Lily asked. "It sounds made-up," she said skeptically.

"No, no! It's where young witches and wizards go to get trained proper. It's a boarding school for magical folk. We should be getting our letters this summer!" Severus exclaimed. "You'll get your owl soon enough."

"What do you mean my owl?"

Lily casually handed Severus an orange as she took another bite of her sandwich, which he accepted absent-mindedly.

"Wizard post gets delivered by owl," he answered automatically, biting into the orange to loosen the bitter peel.

"It does not!" Lily giggled excitedly. "That's so cool! How will I know when it gets here?"

Severus smiled to himself at her growing enthusiasm.

"Post owls are magical. They're bred and trained to deliver post. They're very proud and value hard-work so, don't worry yourself too much. If they can't find a way to get your attention they won't go nowhere until the job is done," he replied confidently.

Severus popped a couple orange slices into his mouth, allowing the juice to fill his mouth and throat with the sweet citrusy flavor of a ripe summer orange. It was so refreshing in fact, that Severus didn't even think he needed a drink. It was just like having a swig of freshly squeezed orange juice. He swallowed with relish.

"I can't wait" Lily insisted in fascination. She paused, worry rearranging her features. "What if I don't get into Hogwarts? What if they say I'm not good enough?"

"Naw, I've seen the sort of stuff you can do. Believe me, with your abilities they'll let you in for sure," Severus assured her. Lily smiled to herself, finding solace in his words.

Once they had eaten their way through Lily's snacks, (Lily had insisted she wasn't that hungry, informing Severus that if he didn't eat the rest of it, it was just going to go to waste anyhow) they lay with their heads together, looking up into the canopy. Lily enjoyed listening to Severus talk about the Wizarding World and he had talked continuously for what felt like hours as they stared up at the clear summer sky.

"-I've read it's one of the most powerful potions to be discovered."

"I can't wait," Lily repeated closing her eyes and imagining brewing a potion that looked like molten gold. "Bottled good fortune. It sounds like a fairy tale."

"Yeah," Severus agreed, joining in on the fantasy. "It's supposed to be really difficult to brew though, and I read it's incredibly toxic in high doses."

Lily propped herself up on her elbows.

"What other things can you do Sev?"

Severus flushed a little. He found he really enjoyed the familiar way in which Lily used his name. It made him think about how comfortable she must have felt around him, and he found it oddly comforting coming from her lips. It made it seem like they were already good friends and not just casual acquaintances.

"Oh, well- my mum has mostly been teaching me defensive stuff," he replied quietly. Lily looked confused.

"What on earth for?" Lily turned to face him. "Sev, what do you need to use defense for?" Lily repeated sternly. She was glaring at him. He sat up, his back to her and said nothing.

He had said too much. He let his guard down, had gotten too comfortable, and now look what he'd done. He let slip more than he cared to share. He racked his brains for a way to get out of this mess. Something he could say to cover it up or play it off like it was no big deal. But, he must have taken too long to answer because Lily continued-

"Is your mum allowed to be teaching you things outside school?"

Severus clung to the opportunity to answer this question in the hopes that he wouldn't have to answer the first.

"It doesn't matter _now,_ because we aren't in school yet. The Ministry won't come down on witches and wizards before they go to the first year of schoolin' because they ain't-"

Severus stopped himself and tried again, speaking more slowly this time.

"-because they don't have control over their magic yet." He looked at Lily and gave her a lopsided grin that he hoped was convincing enough to satisfy her.

She looked scrutinizing but decided to let the subject go, which Severus was extremely thankful for. Lily suddenly got up and crossed to the tree with the three black slashes in it, tracing them with her fingers as she did when they first arrived in the clearing. She turned to face Severus who had just gotten to his feet.

"I like it here, this could be our place," she stated. Severus crossed the clearing to join her at the damaged tree. She continued to stare at the marks. "You did that, didn't you?" she said, not really asking. Severus nodded. "Well then, I should make my mark too, don't you think?"

Lily closed her eyes and concentrated hard, trying to form a clear visual in her mind of what she wanted to appear. Nothing happened.

"Dark magic is sort of… different-" Severus said as he observed her effort. "It comes from a deeper place. You need to _feel_ it. You know what I mean?"

Lily put the palm of her hand against the trunk.

"This time, let your emotions rule the magic," Severus instructed. "Don't just think it, really _feel_ it."

Lily looked focused and driven, yet for a second time nothing happened. Her face fell in bitter disappointment.

"Sometimes it helps to think about something that'll make you angry," Severus suggested. "Anger is the easiest feeling to work with because it's powerful and easy to recognize."

Lily closed her eyes again. This time, whatever thought or memory she decided to use seemed to work, because the bark began to sizzle underneath her fingertips. Severus could smell the scent of burning wood as it assaulted his nostrils.

Lily pulled her hand away abruptly as though it had singed her. In the bark she left two dark lines connecting at the tips and forming a ninety degree angle. A capital letter "L". It wasn't nearly as deep as Severus's were, not even close, but it was enough to scar the wood. She stood back, visibly shaken but satisfied with the result.

"This could be our place…" she whispered.

 **A/N: If you liked what you read please review! I'd love to know if people are enjoying it so far or if there are some editing requirements that need tending to! Much love to you all ;)**

 ***Minor re-editing***


	4. Chapter 4: Lily

Chapter 4: Lily

Lily walked home from the woods having just returned from her first meeting with the strange boy, Severus Snape. She appeared lost in thought as she strolled up the street. After deciding she wouldn't mind a little extra time to process today's events, she turned and took the scenic way home.

Severus was nice enough to walk her to the far end of the playground. She insisted there was no need, but it seemed to Lily that maybe he wasn't too keen on going home just yet, because he muttered something about 'not having anything else to do anyway.' She gratefully accepted his company because it gave them a little more time to chat. Lily liked talking to Severus and was more than happy to let him along.

Now that she was alone however, she was free to go over what took place in the wood. There was one thing in particular that troubled her more than anything else and it was eating away at the forefront of her mind.

" _Oh, well- my mum has mostly been teaching me defensive stuff."_

What was an eleven year old boy doing being taught _defensive_ magic? She wondered. Why was it the first thing he was being taught? That must mean it was important. More important than anything else. But heavens, _why_? Were his family great Wizarding dualists or something? Was that even a thing in the magical world?

Lily strolled along, pondering the strangeness of the boy's statement. Even the way he carried himself was a little _odd_ , Lily admitted. From his mismatched clothes to his long tangled hair. Lily knew that he lived on a poor side of town. Spinner's End was hardly the Ritz, but she felt like it was more than that. He was twitchy and nervous, and the fact that he avoided her gaze more often then not hadn't escaped her notice either. Something wasn't right here. She could feel it.

Lily frowned to herself. She wasn't quite ready to face Petunia after the fight they just had. So instead, she settled herself on their front step, continuing to sort through her thoughts with her cheek resting in her palm and her feet scuffing the ground restlessly.

Something else was troubling her. When Severus had instructed her on the use of dark magic...she tapped into something raw and powerful, but it felt... _wrong_. She supposed that it could have been because she used anger to harness it, but she couldn't be sure.

Lily had decided to use her fight with Petunia earlier that morning. She remembered how she had screamed until her throat was raw and how her face turned an unflattering shade of scarlet. That was when she felt it. A dynamic force that swept through her, erupting from inside her stomach. It was so violent, it left her feeling physically shaken. It made her feel...guilty. Like she had done something horrible. The fact that she used anger to invoke a physical response made it seem as though she were physically lashing out at Petunia. As if she wanted to hurt her. Lily wasn't too eager to experience _that_ again anytime soon.

She thought about the three dark scratches on the tree. How angry would Severus had to have been to make those? They were pretty deeply ingrained in the wood… If it _was_ anger he used to conjure his magic, then what could have happened to provoke that sort of response. He didn't seem like the type to harbor a temper, but then again how much did she know about him really? Sure, they spent a large portion of the afternoon blabbing the day away, and Lily learned a lot about the Wizarding world but -

"Not about Severus," she said softly.

She needed to find out more, she decided, and made a mental note to do some digging. It would have to be subtle because if she came right out with it and just asked him like she wanted, he probably wouldn't answer her anyway. Subtle or secret.

One thing was for certain, she may not know what was going on at the Snape house exclusively, but she knew for damn sure that Severus was being underfed. Anyone could see that just by looking at him and the way his clothes swallowed him up. Put that together with his residence and it didn't take a genius to know he wasn't getting enough to eat because they likely couldn't afford to. Lily made another mental note on her rapidly growing list to revisit later.

Lily stared at her tired dirty feet and sighed. The sun was sinking lower in the sky and she decided it was too hot to stay outside any longer. She supposed she would have to face her sister sooner or later anyhow. So, with her mind still whirling, she stood up and went inside.

She tried to open the door quietly, just in case Petunia was somewhere nearby, but her fingers were slippery from the heat, and they slid down the latch clumsily, giving her away immediately. Lily's breath caught and she froze in the doorway waiting to see if she would be discovered, her bottom lip clenched painfully in her teeth.

"Back from your date?" Petunia asked haughtily.

Lily whipped around. Petunia was sitting on the couch, the top of her head barely poking out above the back of the sofa, visible largely due to the messy pile of blonde hair stacked on top of her head. The television was blaring from the front sitting room, but Lily had a feeling that whatever was on screen Petunia wasn't _really_ paying attention to it. Petunia got up from her spot on the couch to turn around and glare at Lily, her stomach pressing against the back of the sofa cushions. Lily rolled her eyes at her sister.

"It wasn't a date," she said in exasperation. "Boys and girls can be _friends_ Tuney, believe it or not." Lily kicked off her sandals and closed the door behind her with a little too much force, causing the door to slam shut with an audible snap.

Petunia sniffed. "Yeah, you two do make a lovely couple though. Maybe he can take you home and give you the grand tour. Should only take a moment, I'll bet they all live in one room. I'll bet they all have to sleep in a big heap in the middle of the floor, like pigs. That's likely where he gets his smell from. _You'll_ fit right in at least," Petunia scoffed, looking Lily up and down.

Lily's hands balled together into tight fists and she stamped her foot against the ground in annoyance, venting some of her frustration.

"That's a terrible thing to say about somebody, Petunia!" Lily scolded, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Besides, why do you care who I hang around with? It's not like you have time for me anymore. Ever since you turned 13 it's like you're suddenly a different person. You try to act all _grown up,_ like this is how you _should_ behave because you're a _teenager_ now _,_ " Lily sounded as though she wanted to be sick as she emphasized the word 'teenager'. "Like those extra couple of hours made any difference from the person that you were."

Petunia's lips pursed into a tight line and her face burned a violent crimson as the impact of Lily's words washed over her and had a chance to sink in.

"I have not!" She protested angrily. "And this isn't even about me, this about you and that _Snape_ boy," Petunia's nose wrinkled in distaste and she sneered at the mention of her sister's lack of better judgement.

"What have you got against him anyway? Why does he bother you so much? You don't even know him!" Lily shouted.

"Neither do you!" Petunia spat back. She sighed, "I just don't trust him Lily. He's _weird,_ and he's lying to you! There is no such thing as wizards, and witches, and magic, and you're too old to believe in fairytales anyway! You know better." She started to wag her finger in Lily's direction accusingly. "You better stay away from him! Or I'll tell Mummy where you're going!"

"Go ahead," Lily challenged. "I'm sure Mum will be happy to hear that I've made a friend now that I don't have a sister any more!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Petunia shrieked indignantly.

Lily glared at her sister her eyes colored with resentment and outrage. "It means-" Lily began through clenched teeth "that even Mum's noticed how you've been avoiding me lately…"

An uncomfortable silence fell between them as Lily continued to stare accusingly at her older sister. Before she could stop them, Lily's vision blurred over suddenly, and she was sniffing loudly, her breath becoming shallow and frantic as she fought back the angry tears threatening to dampen her lashes. Petunia looked uncomfortable and she dropped her gaze, suddenly becoming very interested in a loose thread on the knitted throw blanket, pulling at it awkwardly.

The atmosphere was thick with words left unspoken. Lily waited for a few moments, giving Petunia a chance to explain herself or offer her any words of comfort or reassurance. When it became evident that there was nothing forthcoming, she stormed away to the sanctuary of her bedroom, bounding up the staircase, taking them two at a time in her desperation to get away from her sister.

Lily collapsed on her bed dramatically, unable to hold back the hurt and frustration. Tears trickled their way down her cheeks and fell onto her pillow, which she grabbed and clung to herself desperately, her knees creeping further up her chest as she tried to make herself as small as possible. For a few moments Lily thought that Petunia might pursue her, and she would be forced to reign in her emotions at the drop of a hat, but it became evident that Petunia was not planning any such confrontation, as the voices on the television set drifted loudly up the stairs, further confirming Petunia's return to her spot on the sofa and with it crushing any remaining hope Lily had of working things out with her.

The realization that Petunia would not be coming just sent a fresh wave of anger and disappointment coursing through her and she sobbed harder, allowing the sadness to encompass her body and offer it's sodden, doleful comforts.

What she said downstairs was all true, and Petunia knew it, that's why she had suddenly been struck dumb. She was avoiding her, and she wanted to know why. Lily had her suspicions of course, but it would be nice to get it all out in the open so they could move passed this.

 _It's because I can do magic_ , she thought miserably to herself. Petunia always yelled at her when she did something that she deemed "unnatural" and Lily hated the way that she looked at her in those moments. Her frightened eyes and shrill voice screaming for her to stop, like she wouldn't do the exact same thing if she knew she could…

Lily turned over on the bed and punched her pillow a few times in frustration before collapsing into it, a high muffled scream floating up from the gap between the fabric and her face. Her shoulders collapsed in defeat and exertion as she sunk further into her place on the mattress, releasing the pent up tension she had been feeling the last few days. She turned her head to the side and stared unblinkingly at her vanity, reminiscing about the time Petunia had done her make-up. Had it really only been yesterday? It felt like a lifetime ago.

Sometimes Lily wished that she wasn't so different so that things could go back to the way they used to be between the two of them. The long afternoons spent playing at the park, playing Dress-up or inventing dances to their favorite songs so they could perform them for their parents.

She remembered when they used to have sleepovers in each others rooms, building blanket forts and telling secrets. Even the secret knock… Petunia's room was right next door to Lily's and they had created a secret knock just in case the other was awake and needed to talk. If the other responded in turn, then they knew the other was also awake and prepared to chat. They found if they both listened through their water glasses they could talk to each other through the walls quietly enough that their parents wouldn't hear them and interfere with their late night conversations. All of that was a distant memory now, and Lily was surprised to find she was actually mourning their relationship.

Actually, while she was wishing for things, she wished that Petunia was more like her. That way she wouldn't be so damn afraid of her and they could discover the extent of their magical abilities together and she wouldn't be so distrustful of her new friend, Severus Snape. In fact, in a perfect world, it would have been the three of them together at the clearing this afternoon, not just the two of them.

Lily rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling, her thumbs twiddling absentmindedly as she thought. What did Petunia have against Severus? They seemed to really dislike each other the first time they met, but Lily had to admit that Petunia really _had_ been rude first. Was it really just because he dressed in funny clothes and lived on Spinner's End? Somehow, Lily doubted it, she liked to think that her sister wasn't as cruel as all that.

But now, she couldn't help but notice the sudden change in Petunia and the way she treated Lily, not only when she performed random bursts of magical ability, but also since she had decided to hang out with Severus. It left her feeling uncertain. Things just seemed to be getting worse and worse between them lately.

Lily's thoughts returned to Severus and the day they had lying on their backs under the canopy. She traced the events in her mind carefully, trying to remember everything about Snape's ramblings in greater detail. She smiled to herself in thought.

Lily sat up in bed abruptly as the beginnings of an idea began to form in her mind, starting in like a fine mist and then becoming slowly more vivid as it began spiraling into a heavy fog. A smile settled itself across her lips, as the idea became fuller and more developed in her brain. She flew out of bed, running about the house wildly in search of Mr. Evans.

She found him in his office, crouched over a pile of paperwork, his briefcase lay opened on the floor, it's contents currently strewn about his heavy oak desk as he tapped the papers with his pen in concentration. He looked up from the form he was studying as Lily entered the room. Mr. Evans smiled warmly at his youngest daughter.

"Lily! What can I do you for? Your mother hasn't been making her infamous leftover casserole again has she?" he chuckled to himself lightheartedly. "16 years and I still haven't found the antidote I'm afraid" he grinned at her.

Lily smiled appreciatively at her dad's antic.

"No, Daddy, not that. I was wondering if maybe we could go to the Tool Shop tomorrow?"

Mr. Evans swiveled in his chair to look at his youngest daughter in disbelief.

"A hardware store? What do you need to go to a hardware store for Lil?" he asked curiously.

Lily looked down at her feet and began fidgeting with a strand of her hair nervously.

"Oh, well- it's just- I sort of wanted to...build something."

"Build something?" Mr. Evans repeated his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. His face turned serious, "Would I be correct in assuming that if we make this hypothetical trip to The Tool Shop tomorrow, I _will_ be given full disclosure on what this 'something' actually is?" he said, not really asking.

"Promise," Lily agreed.

Mr. Evans frowned and fixed Lily with a skeptical look, his eyes searching for something he might possibly read on her face.

Lily stared back with wide eyes, trying her best to give him one of those innocent pleading looks that only existed between father and daughter. She felt the fact that she was the youngest also gave her the upper hand in these situations.

Finally, Mr. Evans cracked, heaving a heavy sigh of defeat.

"Very well Lily, we can go to The Tool Shop tomorrow but _only_ if you're awake, fed and dressed first thing. I expect you at the door waiting for me 45 minutes _before_ I leave for work, otherwise there won't be enough time and I _cannot_ be late. Now look at me," Lily locked eyes with her father obediently. "Do we understand each other?"

Lily nodded her head vigorously in agreement. Mr. Evans face relaxed a little, his fatherly grin returning to its rightful place on his mouth. "Good, now run along. If I don't finish these reports for Mr. Mitchell by tonight he's going to have my ass come sunrise and then I can kiss that promotion goodbye." Mr. Evans spun back around in his chair, refocusing his attention on the pile of paperwork still cluttering his desk.

Recognizing her father's dismissal, Lily returned to her bedroom bursting with excitement. If she could pull this off, Sev wouldn't even know what hit him! And it would be another crucial cornerstone in the foundation of their developing friendship. For Lily, tomorrow couldn't get here soon enough.

* * *

Lily awoke groggily to the sound of her alarm clock buzzing frantically on her bedside table. It was much earlier than she had grown accustomed to, especially over the summer. Her dad usually left the house by 8:00, which meant she needed to be by the door ready to leave at 7:15. Lily's arm, still heavy with sleep, flew out blindly from its spot under the covers, feeling for the button that would silence the irritating buzz of her alarm.

The dawn had barely begun to break, painting the skyline in its signature shade of orange, blue and pink. Lily got up slowly, reminding herself that if she fell back to sleep now, she couldn't carry through with her plans for the rest of the day. She yawned sleepily and stretched, throwing the blanket off herself and stepping into her favorite slippers. She remained sitting on the edge of her bed like that for a moment, waiting for her body to warm up and begin functioning properly. She blinked at the time on her alarm clock. The bright red glow stabbed a vibrant 6:12 A.M. into the darkness of her bedroom.

Lily eased herself off the edge of her bed and set about finding something to wear. She grabbed the first things she could find, not really caring if they matched or not and fished out a fresh pair of knickers from the middle drawer of her dresser. That accomplished she padded out into the hallway towards the bathroom thinking a shower would be just what she needed to wake herself up. One thing was for certain, she was definitely _not_ a morning person.

As she approached the door to the shared bathroom, she was annoyed to find it occupied, a line of light shone from the crack underneath, further rendering it's currently useless condition. Lily groaned quietly to herself in annoyance, tossing her head back as though praying to the heavens to give her the patience to deal with it so early in the morning.

She spun around and leaned against the 'waiting' wall beside the door, at least that was what she always called it. A little section of wall that always offered her back a sturdy support while she spent countless minutes waiting on Petunia to be done with the bathroom. It's cool exterior felt familiar and comforting, so much so she could swear the curves of her back slid into the exact same position every time. At least this wall was a constant support during some rather uncomfortable times in her life. It was nice to know it was always there, willing to lend a hand (or...nail?) when she thought she couldn't possibly hold on any longer, potentially leading to a very embarrassing situation and a _lot_ of explanation. Yes, she and this particular section of wall had a very deep and uncomplicated relationship she thought, settling herself more readily against it.

A flush drifted out from inside the bathroom, breaking the silence. Lily's eyes snapped open at the sound, ripping her out of her reverie and causing her to become more alert as she readied herself for the take over.

The door swung open and Petunia stepped out sleepily, still wearing her fluffy pink house coat and matching slippers.

"What are you doing up this early?" Lily whispered angrily.

Petunia considered her for a moment before her lips thinned in aggravation. " _Someone's_ alarm woke me up," she whispered back irritably. "You think next time you can handle turning it off within the first five minutes?" She added sarcastically.

Lily rolled her eyes and pushed past her sister, "Yeah, sure. Five minutes, will do." Lily made to close the door shut behind her but Petunia pushed back against the door to prevent it from snapping shut in her face.

"Hey, Lily-" Petunia said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. She was eyeing Lily sheepishly and her cheekbones wore the soft pink hues of embarrassment.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry…about yesterday," she said, looking away and avoiding eye contact. "I said some unfair things to you and I just wanted you to know that… Well, I didn't mean them. I was just upset." Petunia shrugged and gave Lily one of her award winning _you're-my-sister-and-I-love-you_ type smiles, solely reserved for her apologies.

The corners of Lily's mouth turned up slightly in response before eventually breaking into a full-on satisfied, albeit cocky, smile. "I knew you couldn't stay mad at me Tuney, we're sisters and you love me _way_ too much for that," she beamed.

Catching the look on Lily's face, Petunia wrinkled her nose in mock disgust. "Yeah, I wouldn't go _that_ far exactly," she teased, holding both arms out in front of her defensively in case Lily tried anything.

"Come on, Tuney" Lily pretended to pout. She extended her lower lip and made it tremble dramatically, her eyes growing wider. "Don't you wanna hug it out?"

Petunia stifled a giggle, "No!" She whispered loudly, looking around for her nearest exit.

As usual, it was too late, Lily had pounced, throwing her arms around Petunia and locking her into a bone crushing hug. She made loud wet kissing noises into the air next to Petunia's cheeks as Petunia continued to push her off, her hand pressing hard against any part of Lily she could reach.

"Lily!" Petunia tried to whisper urgently between muffled giggles. "Stop! You'll wake Mummy."

Lily conceded and turned around to head back into the bathroom, happier now that she and Petunia had made-up. She had only just swiveled to close the door shut yet again when Petunia interrupted her-

"Wait, what are you doing up this early?" she asked suddenly. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Lily suspiciously. "Mummy has a hard enough time getting you up for breakfast most days…"

"I'm going with Daddy to The Tool Shop," Lily told her.

"The Tool Shop?" Petunia's face scrunched until her displeasure was written quite plainly across her features. "What do you need to go there for? That place smells like a barn. Don't they sell tools and stuff?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, and wood and paint and things too," she shrugged. "So?"

"What do you need from there? What's it for?" Petunia's hands took their usual residence on her hips while she continued with Lily's interrogation.

"I'm planning a sort of… surprise," Lily supplied vaguely. Her hand crept higher up the door as she prepared to close it once again.

"A surprise for who?"

Lily shrugged in response and said nothing, her fingers softly drumming against the door, playing the subtle but all too familiar ballad of dismissal. Petunia took her silence as a confession. Her cold demeanor returning as though the events of the last few moments never even happened.

"It's him isn't it? You're going to see _him,"_ she stated flatly.

"So, what if I am?" Lily countered. "You know Tuney, I'm sure if you took the time to get to know him, you'd see he's not all bad. Why not come with me?" she asked hopefully.

Petunia recoiled as though she had been slapped. "I wouldn't go anywhere _near_ that kid with a ten foot pole and neither should _you."_

"Tunia-"

-"Fine! Go then! But don't come crying to me when you realize he's nothing but a nasty little liar because I won't be there to pick up the pieces when this all goes to shit."

"Petunia!" Lily gasped, covering her mouth with her hand in shock.

"I'm going back to bed." Petunia said curtly, and before Lily could say another word, she whirled around and swept back to her bedroom. The door clicked shut behind her softly even though Petunia swung the door so fast it made a soft _whooshing_ sound as it cut through the air. Lily was left standing in the bathroom door looking dumbstruck and wondering how this charade of fighting and making up could have escalated so quickly.

Lily closed the door in a state of confounded dismay, her brain still trying to catch up with the rapid fluctuation of Petunia's behavior. Deciding that she needed that hot shower now more than ever, she turned on the hot water. Steam issued out from under the door as she stepped into the shower. Her mind was still a whirl a few moments later when she turned off the water and toweled off, throwing on the clothes she located in the dark, which turned out to be a pair of denim shorts and a pale green leaf-printed tank.

Lily padded downstairs to the kitchen feeling slightly more put out thanks to her run in with Petunia. Distractedly she popped two slices of bread into the toaster and poured herself a glass of juice. She opened the refrigerator to put the flagon of juice away and froze as she stared into the frosty contents on the shelves as though she weren't really seeing them. She gazed at the big bowl of fruit on the second shelf, took an orange, reconsidered for a moment, then took another.

She buttered her toast in a hurry, acutely aware that she was running out of time as she stuffed one piece in her mouth and chewed feverishly. She downed the rest of her juice and placed the second piece in her mouth as she headed for the door, strapping her feet into her usual white sandals.

Lily's mind was still troubled with thoughts of her older sister, but as Mr. Evans met her at the door, his briefcase in one hand while the other ushered her out, she took in the realization of where they were going and why. She became so overwhelmed with excitement that all thought of her rocky relationship with Petunia simply drifted away, until she had room left only for Severus.

 **A/N: I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter. I may go back and change some things in the future. It was a difficult one to get out and I'm afraid it probably shows. Sorry about that. If you stuck with it this long, I do appreciate it.  
**

 ***Minor Re-editing***


	5. Chapter 5: Severus

Chapter 5:Severus

Severus's back hit the cracked ground, _hard,_ as he took in the increasingly familiar sight. The clouds had hardly moved an inch since the last time he was in this position, staring up at them, and the sky was still the same sickening shade of faded blue. Sometimes, seeing it through blurred vision, but always there. Flat on his back with his humiliation burning deep in his cheeks. His fists pounded against the ground in frustration as he once again sat up and got shakily to his feet.

"You're not concentratin' Severus," Eileen called accusingly from the other side of the yard. "You need to do better!"

Severus's dark eyes glared moodily in her direction as he braced himself once again for the attack. He was supposed to be casting a silent shielding charm to protect himself from ranged attacks. Whether it was from Tobias's drunken father-son target practice or from another witch or wizard it made no difference. At least, that was what his mother had told him, but Severus suspected it had more to do with his father than with wizard duels.

They had been at it since about half passed the time Tobias left for work, and Severus was doing worse than usual, getting knocked to the ground far more often than he was able to save himself. His frustration at being constantly knocked off his feet and landing painfully on the ground wasn't helping him to focus either. His emotions were clouding his concentration. Well, that, and the ache that was currently spreading itself rapidly throughout his entire body.

Eileen stood her position, poised and dangerous; eyeing her son as though she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that she could cast the spell with needle thin precision faster than he could blink. Severus remained in his defensive stance, watching her carefully. His muscles were locked, ready to react at the slightest indication of movement.

She moved quickly, and Severus's mind snapped to attention, instantly working through the wand movements in his head, his lips moving soundlessly around the word - _Protego-_ he thought desperately. _Protego-Protego!_

No good, there was a flash of red light that hit him full in the chest, knocking him backwards off his feet. **Again**. His back made contact with the hardened earth beneath him once more and stars erupted behind his eyes as the back of his head collided with the dirt only a moment later. He lay there unmoving, staring blindly up at the sky as he waited for his vision to clear. **Again**. He clenched his teeth angrily, his jaw tightening as he wearily sat himself upright, sweat dotting his brow from the exertion.

Eileen had crossed into the perimeter of his vision, her shadow giving her away far before her solid frame had. Her arms were crossed in front of her and she was looking down at him with contempt. Severus couldn't bear to look her in the eye, so instead he continued to sneer distastfully at the ground.

"Severus Tobias Snape," she began firmly. Severus flinched."Do you not understand how important it is for you to be learnin' all this? Do you not know that I need you to be learnin' this for your own good?"

Severus's head bobbed solemnly in response to his mother's question.

"It's. Not. Good. Enough." She emphasized each word acidly as they passed through her lips. "You better start takin' this seriously, because you know I'm only lookin' out for you. Theory is one thing, but it's a whole other matter when we be puttin' it into practice. Especially when you feel you're in real danger. You need to know what to _do_ and, what's more, you need to know it's gonna _work_."

Severus's hands started fidgeting with the cuff of his trousers, wringing them around his spindly fingers. Still his velvet black eyes avoided his mother's piercing gaze.

Eileen softened slightly and sighed. She knelt down in front of Severus and cupped his face in both of her palms, tilting his head towards her.

"Sev, I know I'm bein' hard on you, but I need you to know I wouldn't be bein' so hard on you if it wasn't important. Trust me."

Severus swallowed hard and whispered, "Y-yes Mum."

"That's my sweet boy. We'll keep practicin' and you practice when you can as long as it's away from your Da. Severus, are you hearin' me? Whatever you do, _do not_ let him catch you at it. When you've finally gotten that down we need to practice the real thing. Do you understand what that means Sev?" Eileen looked into her son's face seriously. "It means we have to put you under real stress, we need to be sure that when it comes down to it, you can do what needs doin'."

Severus's lips tightened into a straight line and his jaw twitched at his mother's suggestion. Somewhere deep down he knew that she was valid in her reasoning, but the thought of what his own mother was willing to do to him ' _for his own good_ ' was nothing short of infuriating. Didn't he have enough to deal with from his father? Did he really deserve to get it from her too? It wasn't fair. His whole life, just wasn't fair.

"Yes Mum," he muttered grudgingly.

"Good. Now go on, get out of my sight. It's clear your head ain't here and that ain't no good for anybody. Next time I expect you to be focused up or I'll test you up on _Sentirenon_ good and proper."

Severus got angrily to his feet and stormed off without a backwards glance, pushing his way through the line of trees and disappearing along a familiar trail.

His mother read him like a book. He hated that. He didn't like being so transparent. But in all honesty, his head really _wasn't_ in it. He had been fairly distracted lately, unable to concentrate since the afternoon he spent with Lily Evans. He better get his head back in the game and quick. It wouldn't do to have his defense lessons interrupted by some girl he hardly knew. They were too important.

Yesterday _had_ gone far better than Severus anticipated though, which delighted and thrilled him in a way he didn't want to admit. He'd never had a real friend before and Lily, though a little fiesty, suited him perfectly. She was kind and smart and even though they only hung out once, she had a way of making him feel safe, and not like something unpleasant you'd find stuck to the bottom of your shoe. She treated him like...a person. An equal. Fleetingly he wondered when he would see her again.

He stopped walking for a moment and stood still in silent reflection, gazing up into the canopy of trees, his fists stuffed into his over-large pockets. He had let himself slip a little more than he intended. He would have to be more careful to not let his defenses down too much or too quickly around her. He couldn't afford to have her know too much. Not about him or about his home life. For her best interests as well as his own, he thought sullenly.

He inhaled sharply as he came to this resolution. As soon as his eyes leveled forward, he saw something bright orange come streaking towards him, aimed directly at his head. Severus's dark eyes grew wide with surprise as he held out a hand instinctively to prevent the thing from colliding painfully into his large nose. It bounced off his palm, but in his current state of bewilderment he was unable to close his fingers around it. He stood there attempting to trap it, giving the impression of a one-man, single-handed circus act, as each reflex sent the thing bouncing off various parts of his body with each sporadic flail of his arms.

"Watch it!" A voiced shouted from a nearby distance.

After what felt like much fumbling, Severus's long fingers managed to encase the orange sphere. It felt leathery and cool in his hand. His head shot up, searching for the source of the voice with a look of dubious astonishment.

Lily Evans. She stood across the clearing her hands clasped together in front of her mouth as she watched him nervously. Her hair was down, and fell across her back and shoulders in scarlet waves. She wore faded blue denim shorts and a printed tank top with the same dirty white sandals she wore the previous day. Severus drank in the sight of her standing there and broke out into a huge grin, unable to keep the excitement from showing all over his face.

He waved at her and then raised the hand still holding the orange over his head for her to see. Lily returned his smile and relaxed, her arms dropping to her sides in relief.

"It's a good thing you can do magic better than you can catch" Lily giggled. "You wouldn't have stood a chance on my Jr Softball team."

Severus crossed the clearing to where Lily was standing, his fingernails automatically digging into the soft peel of the fruit as he walked, releasing a sweet citrusy scent into the air as he worked to release it from its tender shell. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. As he came level with her, he popped a couple orange slices into his mouth, chewing silently and tossing Lily an awkward yet grateful smile.

As Severus surveyed the scene before him he soon realized that Lily had come with a strange assortment of items that were stashed away in a rickety tin wagon. There were several planks of wood, a bag of nails, a small can of paint, a paintbrush, a hammer and a few other materials he couldn't quite make out since they were squished into the bottom of the pile, though it was obvious they were made of different types of fabric.

"What's all this for?" Severus asked curiously, waving his free hand at the overloaded wagon. He hoped he hadn't come off as rude.

"Well, this is our place now isn't it?" Lily smiled mischievously. "If we're going to make it a proper place for us to hangout, we're going to need a fort."

"A fort?" Severus blinked.

"Yes Severus, a fort. Every kid needs one. You're just lucky you came across someone as amazing as me," Lily grinned. "I can tell you're not familiar with the concept, so allow me to be of assistance." She bent low in a theatrical bow. "We will take this wood, and paint here, and construct ourselves a suitable stronghold, a place to exist without the pressures of civilized society… A haven if you will."

"What for? If we have the clearing already-"

"To make it special...to make it _ours._ Plus, what if we wanted to hang out here and it was raining or something?" Lily tapped her temple. "Entertaining _and_ practical."

Lily picked up a few of the boards from the wagon and started handing them to Severus, piling them on higher and higher until his knees began to shake under the weight of them. Brushing passed him she crossed to the middle of the clearing, her eyes flitting from tree to tree with her arms crossed in front of her. As she assessed the space, one finger tapped listlessly against the crook of her arm.

"Bring them over here Sev, I think in between these two would be brilliant!" Lily pointed to a couple of pine trees with a fair enough distance between them without feeling restrictive. Though Severus wasn't exactly a stranger to hard labor, he didn't really have any experience constructing things and it worried him slightly that he would look the fool in front of Lily. He secretly hoped that she would take the reins on this one.

Closing the distance to where she had indicated, Severus scrambled over and hastily dropped the boards at the base of the two trees. He shook his arms out to ease the straining ache in his (still sore) muscles and let out a heavy yet shaky breath.

"Excellent!" Lily exclaimed. She ran to the wagon to come back only a moment later with the hammer and bag of nails in her arms. She beamed at Severus as she knelt down to pick up the first plank of wood.

They worked tirelessly into the late afternoon. Lily inadvertently creating an unspoken system between the two of them. She would arrange the boards until she was satisfied and then hold them steady as she waited for Severus to secure them together with a nail or two. More than once the structure had collapsed, but with their consistent stubbornness and Lily's craftiness they managed to create a sturdy working structure that not only stayed upright but had enough space for the two of them to sit or lie beneath comfortably.

By the time they were convinced of its durability, the structure came to resemble a campy lean-to, though Severus thought it looked more like an animal stall from certain angles. It had a full backside that stretched between both trees, two smaller walls that jutted out passed the front of the trunks and a rough slanting roof. Though crooked in a couple places, the overall effect was of a small, yet sufficient hovel.

Both of them stood back to admire their work. Lily was positively beaming. She once again ran to the wagon, tossing the hammer and leftover nails in a desolate corner and returned with a large crinkly piece of blue material. Severus cocked an eyebrow as Lily flew passed him and began to spread the material out across the slanted roof.

"A tarp," she answered shortly, apparently needing no vocal cues from Severus to explain herself. "Extra insurance. Not that I don't trust your handiwork or anything, but I'd rather not wait until it rains to find out if the roof is going to flood us out." She smirked.

"What are we going to call it?" Severus asked as he watched her strap the tarp to the nearest tree trunk.

"As in _name_ it?" Lily frowned. "Why would it need a name?"

"Oh-" Severus flushed. "It's just- I thought- in the Wizarding World it's sort of traditional for places to have a name."

"It is?"

"Yes- Well, that's how we get around you see, especially by Floo. I guess- I mean- it doesn't _have_ to. You can state addresses too, but it can get kind of drawn-out. It's faster for places to have names."

"Are we going to have a Floo?" Lily teased as she secured another corner.

Severus hadn't thought of that and he instantly regretted having said anything at all. His face burned and he looked down at his feet to hide his embarrassment as he stammered incomprehensibly. Lily laughed as she finished tying the tarp down against the roof.

"Calm down Magic-Man, I'm only joking" she laughed as she approached him and shoved him playfully in the shoulder. "I like the idea of naming it. Especially if its tradition." Lily turned around and stared thoughtfully at the tiny shack. "Well, it's between two pine trees, so I think it should start with the word pine," Lily offered.

"Pine Quarters?" Severus suggested. Lily snorted back laughter.

"Nah, that sounds too much like Hindquarters," she giggled. "Pine Palace?"

"This is hardly a Palace," Severus choked "And besides, do you mind manning it up a bit? Pine Palace sounds far too girly."

"Fair enough, how about...Pine Peak? The trees we chose are the tallest in the clearing...I didn't notice before-"

"Pine Peak," Severus repeated slowly in contemplation. "Yeah, I like that."

"Great!" Lily said clapping her hands together loudly. "I was beginning to worry that I brought that paint for nothing." She went back to the wagon with Severus following shortly behind. Selecting the can of paint that had been previously neglected she cracked it open with the back of the hammer and picked up one of the few remaining boards. "Sev, do you mind grabbing those blankets over there?"

Severus did as he was asked, shoveling what turned out to be three large blankets into his arms and following Lily back to the mouth of the fort. She dipped the paintbrush into the glossy surface of the paint, which turned out to be a rich burgundy and carefully wrote in thick capital letters "PINE PEAK". She considered it a moment and, appearing satisfied, she handed the piece of wood to Severus, who tossed the blankets aside and accepted the pro-offered plank. She dug in her pockets and withdrew a small handful of nails, which she also handed to him along with the hammer.

Getting the hint, Severus looked around for a suitable place to hang the wooden sign, finally settling on a place near the front that intercepted the roof and the nearest wall. He worked to secure the sign as Lily went about spreading the largest of the three blankets down on the ground across the entire length of the shelter.

"Do you mind nailing a couple of those on the inside? Right here?" Lily asked when he finished, pointing to the same wall he had just finished working on. Severus obliged, hammering in first one nail and then a second. "Excellent!" Lily exclaimed. She took the two smaller blankets and hung them off of the newly added nails. "For when we get a chill," she smiled catching Severus's eye. "One for you and one for me."

Lily stepped away from the shelter, backing up to take in the full effect. Severus joined her reveling in the fabrication of their hard work. The sun was starting to dip and the rays of light were at the perfect angle to create several sparkling beams that shone through the gaps in the leaves like fluorescent stars, surrounding them. Whenever the breeze caught the trees, the lights danced and sparkled, coming alive with brilliance, and Severus felt for the first time as though the entire forest was truly alive and breathing.

Off in the distance, somewhere high in the trees, Severus caught movement from the corner of his peripherals. It was obvious that it was a different type of movement than the glittering, sunlit illusion that was currently encompassing them. Lily must have noticed too, because she squinted up in the direction he saw it from, shielding her eyes from the sun with one hand.

"Did you see that?" she asked, solidifying Severus's assumption.

"Yeah" Severus replied. He continued to stare at the tree tops until he found the movement once more. From this distance it looked like a flowering twig, but it bobbed bizarrely from branch to branch. At first Severus thought it was a loose sprig that had been blown off of a nearby tree and skittered across the tree tops by the wind. But the more he stared at it the more he realized that this couldn't be just any old stick. It truly **was** alive.

The creature by all accounts looked like a part of the pine. If it hadn't been loitering in a coniferous tree he would have never even noticed it, but it was different enough from its current surroundings that it stood out slightly. It had three or four large green leaves that sprouted from the top of it's head, just below that he could make out the tiniest black eyes that looked like beetle shells. It had thin splinter-like arms that branched off into many long and brittle fingers which it used to propel itself across the branches.

"What on earth is that thing?" Lily asked, awestruck. "Is it a bug?"

"No, not a bug, I remember reading about these in one of my mom's old school books." Severus fell silent, lost in thought as he continued to stare at the creature, which was in the middle of prying off the top of an acorn with its long, twisted fingers. "A Boomtuckle?...no, it's...a Bowtruckle! That's what they're called," he corrected proudly. A shy smile started to spread itself over his mouth. "This place really is special."

He stiffened a little in embarrassment. He hadn't meant to voice the sentiment out loud, but the magic of the moment and the perfection of the afternoon had caught him off guard and left him vulnerable, and it tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop it. He was acutely aware of Lily's eyes on him as he said it, and his heart started drumming madly against his chest. He wished she wouldn't, he wished she would look away, back at the creature or anywhere else but at him.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked softly.

"Bowtruckles are only supposed to be found in trees that have wand quality wood, and it's just that - out of all the spots in the clearing you chose the ones that have Bowtruckles in them. It's...strange is all -" he stammered, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

A silence fell between them as Lily's gaze returned to the tops of the pine trees where Pine Peak lay nestled between the two large trunks. She breathed in deeply with a look of such far-off deliberation and wonderment that he was tempted to try and "read her mind" again, as Lily had put it. He dismissed the idea a bit begrudgingly, deciding it would exhaust him too much in his current condition and give him away. He didn't want to risk their friendship or her trust. When Lily spoke again, it was soft and hoarse.

"How do you know so much?"

Severus shrugged his shoulders mechanically. "I read a lot," he said shortly. "Not much else to do."

Lily shook her head thoughtfully in response. Now he really wished he knew what she was thinking, because she almost looked _sad_ and he couldn't figure out for the life of him why or how she could be feeling that way when he was feeling almost the exact opposite in this same moment.

He wanted to ask about it, but he was afraid it might upset her. It really wasn't any of his business if she was sad or not, but Severus couldn't help but to take it a little personally. She _was_ with him all afternoon after all, and she had been fine before...ecstatic even. If something was troubling her now then there was no doubt it must have something to do with him.

"It must have been fascinating growing up with magical parents," Lily said with an edge of envy to her voice.

Severus was thrown off by the unexpected statement, even more so that anyone could ever envy someone like him, especially someone like Lily Evans. It left him feeling strange and, if possible, even more awkward. It left a bitter taste like ash in his mouth, and he grew almost angry that anyone could envy his miserable existence or his miserable life. He spent so much time wishing he could be anyone else. Go anywhere else. He would gladly switch places with her if she wanted.

"My Mum married a Muggle," Severus replied stiffly.

"A Muggle…" Lily echoed quietly. "You mean like a normal person." It wasn't really a question.

"Not exactly..."

Lily looked at him with those scrutinizing green eyes of hers, as though she were scanning him for clues as to his response. "What do you mean?" She asked a little more firmly "He's _not_ normal?" Severus became uncomfortable, his hands wrung together nervously before he forced them to stop by shoving them back into the deep pockets of his coat. His gaze returned to the ground and he began scuffing the dirt with his feet, refusing to meet her patronizing glare. "Severus-" Lily warned, her eyes passing over him intently. "What did you mean by that?"

"N-nothing. They just argue a lot." He shrugged again.

-0-

 _He was eight, and his father was screaming at Eileen in blind fury. His voice was so heated, so full of anger and hate that Severus retreated to a corner and clasped his hands tightly over his ears to try and block out the rage that permeated down the hall. He tried to make himself as small as possible so he wouldn't be noticed._

" _Please don't see me. Please- please - please" Severus thought desperately. He was crying now, and he was so frightened. He didn't know what to do. Anguish, desperation, fear and helplessness washed over him in waves._

 _Several loud claps reverberated through the air followed by a piercing scream. A very feminine scream. Vaguely, Severus could hear his mother begging, he squeezed his eyes shut forcing more tears to crash to the ground in his attempt to shut it all out._

" _Please- please- please"_

 _-0-_

Lily's eyes grew wide in surprise as though she had just had a moment of genuine fear. Her mouth gaped open in horror and her eyes watered over with un-shed tears. She looked Severus dead in the face as though desperate to let out the silent scream that was trapped, bubbling in her throat, yet unable to escape. Severus stepped back with uncertainty, his own fear creeping it's way up his spine as he looked at Lily's horrified expression.

The moment passed and Lily regained her composure though she was still visibly shaken. Severus didn't know what happened to enable such a reaction from her, but judging from the way Lily looked now, whatever it was had left as suddenly as it appeared.

"Are you Ok?" Severus asked with concern, one hand had left the solitary retreat of his pocket and lay clutched against his chest as though he were physically trying to slow down his still rapidly beating heart. Lily took a few steadying breaths and mirrored his concern through the look she had plastered across her face.

"I-I think so," she replied shakily. "Is that why you're out all the time? Why you don't want to go home?" she gasped.

"What? Who said I don't want to go home?" Severus returned nervously. It appeared Lily could not be swayed from their earlier conversation. Lily advanced on Severus, coming closer and closer with those suspicious green eyes of hers.

"I don't think you hide it as well as you think you do Severus" Lily replied coolly. She was so close to him now her face mere inches from his. He didn't know what he was supposed to confess but he didn't like where this was going. In fact, it had gone way too far already. Lily was too close for comfort...both physically and emotionally. "I smell blood. Why do I smell blood?"

 _Shit._

 **A/N: Sorry it's been so long since my last update (In my defense I AM leaving to get married in a week). Thank you to all of my current readers and followers for sticking with Severus and Lily this far, and a big shout-out for any future reviewers ;)**

 ***Minor Re-editing***


	6. Chapter 6: Lily

Chapter 6: Lily

What did she _just_ see?

For a moment she caught a flash of somewhere else completely. A dark hallway? She didn't understand why but she was terrified, and then she heard a loud scuffle, followed by a high-pitched horrible screaming. She was scared and heartbroken and she wanted to help but fear left her frozen in place. A boy? An oddly familiar boy. She concentrated on the shadowy lump in the corner. Yup, no question about it, that tiny heap was definitely a younger version of her friend, Severus.

Before she had a chance to do or say anything the scene melted away as suddenly as it came on, and she was back in the wood, standing with the more current model of Severus Snape. She gasped as though she had forgotten how to breathe, gulping in the air she didn't know she needed.

As she recovered from the shock and the loss of oxygen, something in her brain just clicked. What she saw came from Severus, like that day on the playground. She was seeing something traumatic, and judging by his reaction he really _didn't_ know he was doing it. What triggered this? They were talking about...his parents? His dad was normal, but wasn't " _exactly"_ normal…

" _N-nothing they just argue a lot."_

Argue indeed. That could have been classified as the understatement of the century. If that was just an argument she saw then she was the next Prime Minister. It was all starting to make sense now, how he didn't seem to want to go home yesterday, why she could remember seeing him around town before. Always alone. Always creeping. No place to be. Was this the reason why? She had to find out for sure. She needed to know whether or not what she thought she saw was indeed what she assumed it was.

"Are you Ok?"

Severus's voice brought her crashing back to reality. She realized she hadn't moved much in the last couple minutes and it was probably looking very worrisome for him. She had to say something.

"I-I think so," her voice shook more than she had intended, but she didn't have time to worry about that. She needed the truth. "Is that why you're out all the time? Why you don't want to go home?"

"What? Who said I don't want to go home?"

If she thought her voice sounded shaky it was nothing compared to what Severus's sounded like now. She watched as he backed up a step or two, clearly anxious. She was obviously on to something. Her eyes narrowed as she examined him, willing him to spit it out. To just admit it.

Lily approached him. If he thought he could lie to her face than he would _really_ have to lie to her face. She advanced until she was standing directly in front of him. _No place to go,_ she thought. Her hands were hiked high on her hips as she peered directly into those fierce black eyes of his, she could almost count the eyelashes. "I don't think you hide it as well as you think you do Severus."

A soft breeze blew in, and rustled his long black hair. She was so close to him, she could smell it. His hair smelled like...well, like hair if she was being honest. Like it hadn't been washed in days. Not a bad smell really, but not entirely pleasant either, and there was something else. She caught an undertone of...metal? No, wait-

"I smell blood. Why do I smell blood?"

Severus's pupils constricted. His hand whipped to the back of his head and started feeling around. When he pulled it away again, there was a mixture of paper thin red flakes and a fine smear of fresh blood. Like a scab had been peeled away just to start bleeding again. She thought he looked genuinely surprised by the discovery.

"How did that happen?" Lily asked suspiciously. "What happened Sev?" she sounded slightly accusing and it must have registered with Severus because she thought he looked bothered by her interrogation.

"I don't know," he said attempting to wipe the evidence from his fingertips. "It must have happened when we were building the fort."

 _Lies._

"I didn't see you bump your head," Lily interjected. "I was there the whole time."

"Please-" Severus scoffed. "It's not like we were glued to each other that _entire_ time. I ain't gotta-" Severus stopped and swallowed. "I **don't need** to answer to you."

He was getting angry. Maybe she should stop, she didn't want to lose him as a friend but at the same time she was so close to finding out the truth about Severus Snape. She needed to figure out her next course of action. Fast.

Lily backed up a step, letting her shoulders slump forward and releasing the hold on her hips. She looked at the ground as she thought about what she should say next.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to make you angry. You're right. It's not like I had my eye on you every minute. I just figured if you hit your head hard enough to bleed, you may have mentioned it to me." She looked up at him apologetically and offered a timid smile.

"I have to go," Severus replied hastily. He turned his back on Lily and started towards his frequent trail. Lily felt the sharp edges of panic begin to settle in her stomach. Her arm shot out automatically, grasping the sleeve of Severus's coat, urging him to stay put. He half-turned towards her to meet her pleading eyes.

"Wait! You're not angry are you? When can I see you again?" She hoped that didn't sound as pathetic as she thought it did, but she was desperate not to let him leave on a sour note. Severus seemed to deliberate with himself as he examined the girl in front of him. She felt him relax a little beneath her touch and he offered up one of those awkward half-smiles.

"Not angry," he supplied shortly. "Just need to get home before it gets dark or I'll get in trouble. See you here tomorrow?"

Lily nodded once in agreement. She reluctantly let go of Severus's long, fat-buttoned sleeve and watched as he disappeared back the way he had come. She was still a bit nervous that she had gone too far, and that Severus was hiding that he was still upset with her, but the temptation had been terrible. She had been so close!

Her desire to find out if she was right hadn't lifted at all, even if she _did_ feel guilty about crossing the line with Severus. If she could somehow prove that she was right about her speculation _without_ Severus being any the wiser- well it would be worth it, wouldn't it? Maybe then she would be able to do something about it. Isn't that in and of itself going to be worth the risk?

Lily continued to stare at the spot where Severus disappeared. How could she verify that what she saw in that vision was of Severus and his parents? She did promise herself to do some digging didn't she? Maybe this was her chance. If she followed him-

" _That's pretty dangerous," her thoughts interjected._

Yes, but if she followed him, maybe she could see the house for herself. If she got close enough to peer inside, maybe she could recognize the hallway and verify her suspicions, then she could figure out how to help him.

" _You're barking," she thought anxiously._

"Yup," she replied.

With her mind made up, she marched purposefully in the direction Severus had gone. She didn't make it far when she realized that she had no idea where she was going. She spent so much bloody time deciding what to do that she let him get away, and now she had no clue how to follow him. She frowned, unsure of what to do. She needed to regroup.

Lily turned around and headed back towards the clearing. Her feet carried her to Pine Peak without even thinking about it. She plopped down on her back with her head jutting out passed the shortest wall so she could see the trees. She was losing time. What she needed was a new plan.

Her eye caught something moving in the canopy. Probably just another Bowtruckle, she thought. They _were_ quite fascinating. They were the first magical being that she got to see in real life and she wasn't even at Hogwarts yet. She smiled as she watched the far off movement, imagining what they could be up to and how they had never been discovered before by "normal" people- _Muggles-_

-Bowtruckles! Pine Peak! She bolted upright. Didn't Severus say that Bowtruckles only lived in trees that had wood of wand quality? Her heart began to race. She wasn't ready to give up just yet. Lily stood up and began to frantically search the trunks of the two pines, circling them like a shark. She found what she was looking for almost immediately. Snapping off a very thin twig from one of the pine trees she raced back down the hidden trail. She just really hoped this worked.

She held the twig flat in her palm and started to think about what she wanted. _She wanted to find Severus Snape. She needed Severus. Please, show me Severus._ She tried to pour all of her emotions into it, expressing her desperate desire to know, to help. She thought about the vision she had earlier, all the emotions she felt in that moment. ' _Please - please - please'_

She felt something. The twig had lifted up the tiniest bit, as though it weighed nothing at all and merely rested on top of her skin by some invisible magnetic field. It turned slowly and then stopped, one end pointing directly up the unknown trail. Her heart felt like it could hammer right through her chest, as adrenaline pounded it's way through her body.

Cautiously she started walking forward, keeping an eye on the twig that practically floated against her palm. Eventually the twig started to veer towards the left. Taking a wild stab in the dark, Lily started walking at an angle towards her left, and sure enough the twig started to level off until it was once again pointing straight ahead.

 _Brilliant!_

She carried on like that for awhile, trudging through the tall grass and the underbrush, periodically checking on the twig to make sure she was going in the right direction. The further she went on the more anxious she felt. She knew that what she was doing was extremely high-risk, and the reality of it weighed on her more and more with each forward step.

Finally, the trees thinned and she could see the threshold of the forest. She felt as though she could have swallowed her heart. She crouched down low, tucking the twig carefully into her back pocket as she did. Was this the place? She couldn't know for sure because she couldn't risk trying to use the twig while she was sneaking around back here. She didn't know why or how but she had a strong feeling she had come to her destination. The Snape house.

She dove behind one of the larger trees and peered around it, taking in the view before her. The house she had come to was very small and run-down. It looked like it could only hold a few rooms. Like an apartment if it was turned into a tiny stand-alone cottage, which sounded ridiculous but she didn't know how else to describe it. She hated to admit it, but there was a chance that Petunia was right about them sleeping in a single room. There was a rusty looking blue truck in the driveway, that was all peeling paint and rusty bolts. Judging from the way the weeds grew around it, it looked like it hadn't been moved in a while.

Her persistent scan uncovered what she had been searching for. A window. Her heart leaped with excitement at discovering it, bringing her one step closer to her goal, but in another instant left it sinking back down into the pit of her stomach. In order to get to the window, she would need to be out in the open, fully exposed and vulnerable to any wandering eyes. What if a neighbor saw her? Surely they wouldn't stand by and let it happen. Worse yet, what if someone left the house and she was caught red-handed? _Shit._

Lily pinched her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought of a game plan. There were some scant looking bushes by the front porch. Good for cover but bad for accessibility, as the window was located on the side of the house. _Useless._ If she could somehow scale the distance between her hiding place and the yard without being seen, then the sill and the distance between the height of the window would offer her immunity from the people _inside_ the house, but not from _outside_ the house. It was looking grim, but she had to do what she came to do. She'd already come this far-

She took a couple deep steadying breaths as she braced herself to take the plunge. This was probably by far the stupidest idea she's ever had, and that included the time she convinced Petunia that her spaghetti was actually a kind of worm that come from dog butts causing her to vomit violently into her lap. She whipped around ready to spring from behind the tree, when she heard a loud noise coming up the street that had her nose-diving to the ground instead, belly crawling back to her original position. She lay completely frozen, as she peered through the gaps in the foliage.

Shit, she didn't have time for this. The sun was already getting ready to set and she still had to make it home. She didn't want to find her way through the woods in the dark, no matter how "small" they were. Already the sky was painted a bright orange. She waited as the noise steadily grew louder.

"NAA-NAA-NAA NA NA-NA-NAAAA HEY JUUUDE"

Lily didn't like the way the voice sounded. Not one bit. It was loud and obnoxious, and though she didn't know why, it scared her. The owner of the voice was clearly intoxicated. She continued to watch the sidewalk without moving an inch, for fear any movement might give her away. Eventually, a tall, thick man came stumbling into view. He had dark hair and a heavy brow that was made more prominent by his receding hairline. His jaw was big and square and he had large beefy arms.

The man was laughing gruffly after his serenade. "Hey Jude-" he sung more quietly as though to himself. He stopped...right in front of the yard. Lily was terrified he somehow saw her, and she held her breath, squeezing her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable confrontation.

When it never came, she scrounged up the courage to open her eyes again. It took her a brief moment to relocate him, but she saw the man on his hands and knees in the grass. It looked as though he was inspecting it carefully and by the looks of things, whatever he found there did _not_ make him happy.

The man's eyes turned to dangerous slits and his mouth twisted into a deep grimace as he turned to look towards the small house, his eyes burning with rage. He staggered to his feet and like a man on a mission he stormed the front door. Lily wondered what he could have seen in the grass that made him so angry. She swiveled to try and see what he was looking at. She couldn't see much of anything, there was a possibility there was a small scuff in the dirt. It looked like maybe... _maybe_ some grass was missing in the area the man inspected...

"Where's the boy Eileen?" the man thundered from inside the house.

Lily couldn't make out all that was being said, it was muffled and distorted, but she heard a woman's voice protesting loudly. There were a few loud _clangs_ from inside and her fear deepened substantially. Lily was shaking from head to toe with both horror and adrenaline, but she didn't dare move. She couldn't think. What had she gotten herself into?

A few moments later the man reappeared and he was holding something...or rather someone, by the scruff of the neck, dragging him out into the yard. A woman emerged seconds later, screaming herself hoarse.

 _Oh God, Severus!_

Lily looked on, frozen in terror, as Severus begged and screamed apologies, wanting to look away but unable to, as the man threw Severus to the ground roughly. Severus tried to get up, but the man grabbed a fistful of his long black hair and shoved his face an inch or so above the ground. It was like watching a dog get punished by forcing its nose into its own mess after its piddled on the carpet. It was horrible. Lily choked back the tears that suddenly overwhelmed her. The woman was still screaming, hitting every inch of the man she could reach with her fists.

"Tobi, let him alone! Let 'im be! Please! Please!"

"Christ Eileen! Shut the **fuck** up!" the man roared. "He needs to be taught a lesson! Look at what he done to the yard! I won' have you makin' excuses for im'! A man pays what he owes!"

"Tobi, No! Please! Let's go back inside! Tobi, Stop!"

"Now listen here boy. You done made a mess of this here yard, and I dun stand for it! You need to have some goddamn respect for your da! **I'm** the one who keeps you clothed, **I'm** the one who gives you a goddamn roof over yer greasy lil' head! You don' disrespect **me** by tearin' up **my** property, ya hear?"

The more the man shouted the closer he pushed his son's face to the ground until his cheek was shoved painfully into the dirt. Severus was crying and screaming out more apologies that only landed on deaf ears, it looked as though he were inhaling clouds of dirt that were being kicked up by his breath and he spluttered and gagged around his words as he struggled to get free.

" _Oh God, please make it stop," Lily thought frantically. Tears were spilling down her cheeks now._

"Tobi! That's enough! Let him up!" the woman begged. The man turned around and stared her down, still holding the boy's face into the ground. With one more angry shove, he let go of Severus. He considered both of them a moment, his lip curling, before lumbering his way back into the house without saying another word. And just like that, it was over.

Lily lay trembling all over, the tears still spilling quietly down her cheeks as she held her position. She had never witnessed anything so mortifying in her life. She had wanted to do something, but she couldn't. She physically couldn't. She froze. Choked. She should have thrown herself at the man. Hit him. Hurt him. Severus was her _friend._ She should have saved him.

It all made sense now, as much as she wished it didn't. She didn't need to look through the window to know that what she saw in the vision earlier that day was indeed what she thought it was. It was all that and so much worse.

Lily's body was beginning to ache from remaining stagnant for so long, but she refused to shift, ignoring the pain in her limbs. She could not be discovered. If Severus knew what she'd seen, he'd probably never speak to her again. She bit her tongue hard so she could focus on the pain in her mouth rather than the ache that coursed through the rest of her body.

She watched Severus get to his feet and brush himself off. For one heart-stopping moment she thought he was looking directly at her. That she had been caught. But she soon realized that he was gazing passed her and into the wood. He spit several times into the ground, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve. He walked over to his mother, and knelt down next to her. She threw her arms around him, sobbing, and eventually Lily watched the pair of them disappear into the tiny house once more.

Everything was still and quiet. It was as though the street and everyone on it remained as ignorant as ever. As though what she just witnessed in the Snape family yard couldn't have been any more ordinary; or worse, like it never happened at all. It was a trick. An illusion. She was delirious, she must have been seeing things. But even as she attempted to calm herself, she noticed the small scuff in the grass, made larger by Severus' bony cheek, and the reality came flooding back to her.

She felt numb.

She didn't know how long she continued to lay there, afraid that if she moved now she would be discovered, but the sun was mostly gone, leaving nothing but the orange streaked horizon in its wake. She would be in big trouble if she didn't get moving. She had to get home. Her parents were going to kill her-

The weight of that statement left her chilled.

" _It's just an expression," she thought desperately. "Haha of course it is, nobody's parents would actually- could really-"_

She took a deep breath, forcing back more tears. She had to go. Now. She carefully tried lifting her stiff legs from the grass, then her arms and now her neck. Slowly regaining the feel of her body and willing everything to spark back to life. She managed to raise herself up onto her forearms and, though she was still terrified, she used them to propel herself forward into a thicker part of the wood and out of sight.

Once she felt she had put enough distance between herself and the tiny house, she got to her feet. Her clothes were dirty from crawling on her stomach, and she was soaked with sweat and tears. Absentmindedly, she attempted to brush some of the dirt from her clothes, but gave it up as a bad job. Clothes can be washed, she thought. Unlike-

She looked up at the sky. It was fairly dark out now. The sun had disappeared with just the faintest blue glint still lingering. She was definitely going to be home late. How was she going to navigate her way back in the dark? She frowned as she pulled out the little twig from her back pocket. It lay in her palm, as dead and ordinary as if she picked it up from her backyard. She tried to will it back to life as she had done before, but it remained quite still and unresponsive. Lily found she couldn't even drum up the energy to care.

She stuck the twig back into her pocket and started walking anyway, she was pretty sure she could remember the way back to Pine Peak.

Poor Severus. How could people like that exist in the world? She had always thought that people were generally good-natured and the world was full of kindness and beauty. She always liked to believe the best in people. But what she saw that man-

... _Father...he was Sev's father…_

-do to his own child had her questioning everything she thought she believed in. The longer she thought about it, the more she hated him. It had her searching through the very darkest recesses of her mind. One she didn't even know she possessed, or would have thought herself capable of. She thought that if the world was so unjust, perhaps it was time for her to balance the scales and take matters into her own hands. Maybe sometimes, you needed to make your own justice.

It took her awhile to realize that as she walked, her path seemed to take it on itself to light her way. Literally. She was walking a path that was illuminated by a soft, eerie blue glow. It shed just enough light for her to see directly in front of her, but it always stayed ahead by a few feet, as though guiding her way. The light flickered forward onto rocks and weeds and fallen branches. It was like they were illuminated from the inside out, as though it had always been in their nature to glow when little girls walked passed them in the dark.

It was oddly unsettling, but Lily was too emotionally drained to think on it much. She continued to trudge on, like a zombie, her feet continuing to carry her forward as though disconnected from both mind and body. When she looked up again, she was at her front door.

Inside, she was mildly surprised, but on the outside, her face remained stoic and gave way to no emotion. She watched her hand twist the latch on the door as though through the lens of a camera, her arm drifting through space and lost in a dream.

"Lily! Is that you?" Mrs. Evans called frantically from the kitchen.

Before she had a chance to register who was speaking to her, her mother wrapped her in a bone-breaking embrace. "Andrew!"

Mr. Evans came barreling to the door and as soon as Mrs. Evans had released their youngest daughter, he knelt down and hugged her urgently. "Where have you been!?" he demanded holding her at arms length. "Your mother and I have been so worried!" he scolded, his strong hands shaking her gently for emphasis.

Lily cracked.

Her breath came and went in heavy bursts that felt like they were trying to actually break through her lungs and her eyes filled with tears.

"Mum? Dad?" she croaked quietly. Unshed tears started pouring themselves down her cheeks.

"Lily? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Mrs Evans asked, fear creeping into her tone. Lily shook her head and started wailing, collapsing into her mother's arms and sobbing into her shoulder. "Lily, shhh you're alright now, I've got you. There, there" Mrs. Evans soothed, stroking Lily's hair. "Andrew-"

"I'll put the kettle on," Mr. Evans said, quickly getting up and disappearing into the kitchen.

Mrs. Evans continued to rock Lily gently in her arms, stroking her back and murmuring soft words of comfort under her breath, waiting patiently for Lily to calm down enough that she was able to speak. Finally, Lily's ragged breathing began to steady and she swallowed, attempting to clear her depleted airway.

"Mummy?" She breathed, her voice threatening to break. Mrs. Evans hummed in response. "What do I do if someone is in trouble?" The question seemed to alarm Mrs. Evans and she pulled back to look into her daughter's tear-streaked face.

"Lily? What is this? Who's in trouble?"

Lily Shook her head sadly. "We should try and help them shouldn't we? If someone we know is in trouble, we should help."

"Lily, what-"

But Lily burst into tears again, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck, sobbing. Mrs. Evans looked passed her daughter and exchanged a worried glance with her husband, who stood patiently in the doorway with a cup of hot chocolate in his hands. His concern was deeply etched in the lines of his face and he shrugged his shoulders helplessly in return.

Among all the excitement of the evening and Lily's hysterics, nobody noticed the young girl standing at the bottom of the stairs, in her matching housecoat and slippers, her blonde hair in disarray. Nobody noticed Petunia Evans standing with her head cocked to the door and a sneer on her lips.

 **A/N: Consider this chapter a peace offering :D Since I'm going to be going away for a few weeks for my wedding (without knowing how much I'll be able to write) I tried to pump out this chapter quickly for you all. I hope you enjoyed it. Leave me some encouraging words, or reviews if you liked what you read and thanks for reading! :3**

 ***Minor Re-editing***


	7. Chapter 7: Severus

Chapter 7: Severus

Darkness and dirt. That was all he could see. All he could taste. Darkness and dirt.

There was one point where he was positive he had been spewing up some desperate, automatic apologies in an attempt to save his own skin, but they were proven ineffective, and to be honest, it was all a bit of a blur. Plus it was hard to talk with dirt in your nostrils and an overwhelming pressure that threatened to split your skull in two. All Severus could focus on was bucking underneath the strength that pinned him so he could wriggle free, but wasn't he supposed to-

 _Concentrate, Severus! It's not good enough!_

As suddenly as it had come, the pressure released and he lay quite still, not daring to move until he heard the heavy footfalls fade away into the distance. Only after he heard the heavy _**bang**_ of the front door did he begin to stir. He scrambled to his feet, brushing off the filth that clung to his clothes and spat twice into the ground to rid himself of the gritty taste of mud that still coated his tongue, wiping his mouth mechanically on the back of his sleeve.

Severus sniffed and gazed into the enclosing darkness of the wood. His thoughts returned to the day he had with Lily and he wondered how it could be possible to enjoy himself so much one moment and the next he was here, face down in the dirt with the familiar feeling of pain as his only verification that he wasn't already dead.

 _Sentirenon. Sentirenon. Sentirenon-_ he chided himself silently. _Sentirenon! Damn it all to hell!_

Loud and desperate sobs drifted towards him from somewhere upwind, and he remembered his mother. She was on her knees, hugging herself tightly as she attempted to compose herself from...recent events. One glance in her direction told him all he needed to know. She wouldn't quiet down until he was there. She needed to cheat herself. She needed to believe that her son was unharmed. That _he_ was unharmed.

He dutifully walked over and knelt down in front of her, waiting patiently. Eileen's head snapped up to peer at her son's face, her eyes wet and frantic. She grabbed hold of his shoulders urgently.

"Did you do it Sev? Did it work?" She whispered breathlessly.

Severus looked back at her, a mixture of anger and sadness in his eyes. With the slightest of movements he shook his head. He watched as her eyes widened and her mouth rounded into a silent 'oh' of realization. He watched her as her spirit crumpled into bitter disappointment at the shame of his failure. Her eyes shone bright and somber, and before he knew it she had her arms around him, holding him tightly against her heaving chest, tears sprinkling into his hair.

"Oh Sev-" she sobbed, clutching him harder, her fist twisting into the loose fabric of his jacket so tight he almost choked. "I'm s-so sorry. Y-your Da...he doesn't know what he's doin' when he's been drinkin'. He ain't hiself."

Severus squirmed uncomfortably in her grasp until her grip loosened and he was once again staring into her eyes. Those deep brown eyes fogged over with desperation and panic. "I know" he stated, if only to give her the solace she so desperately needed. Eileen's face washed over with relief and she let out a long shaky breath as she got to her feet.

"Come on then, Sev. Let's get you some supper."

Eileen wrapped a bony arm around his shoulder as she escorted him back into the house. Her touch felt comforting, even though Severus suspected it had more to do with keeping herself steady on her feet than it had to do with showing him some affection. She was still shaking under her weight from the disbursement of adrenaline that was, undoubtedly, still coursing through her system, and the extra support would be a welcome commodity in her fragile state.

The door clicked shut behind them and Eileen sighed heavily at the scene that was set before her, her hands parked high against her hips. The house was in upset from Tobias's frantic search for the boy, and with the limited space it didn't take long for the house to appear in dismay. The clothesline had snapped from the wall, spilling a long line of freshly laundered clothing into a messy heap on the floor. The room was slowly filling with smoke as the pan on the stove overheated with the neglect of a raving mother. Several chairs lay abandoned on their sides, creating a coincidental obstacle course in the kitchen. But so was the norm when Tobias Snape entered the equation.

Eileen took a deep breath and set to work, righting the chairs and turning off the stove, waving away the smoke with a stiff hand. She cracked the little window open to free some of the lingering smog and let loose the evening chill as it drifted into the chaos. Severus bent over and began to collect the articles of clothing scattered about the floor when he heard a sharp gasp come from the sink. He twisted around to stare at his mother's back, her hands were clutching the edge of the countertop so tight her knuckles were white, and though he couldn't see her face, her shoulders shook with the silent tears he knew were there. A loud snort tore from Tobias's throat as he shifted his position sleepily on the sofa, where he would remain until morning.

Severus shifted his gaze over to the table, unsure of what else to do. His eyes took in the overturned glass that marked his usual spot and watched, transfixed, as the amber pool of liquid coating the wood like molten glass flowed in a steady drip to the ground. _Juice._ All he could hear was the steady _plink...plink...plink_ of the droplets as they crashed against the floorboards. Still Tobias slept.

They ate in uncomfortable silence. It was lucky that Eileen had not gotten around to putting the grits in the pot _before_ Tobias had come home, otherwise they wouldn't be eating at all tonight. Severus poked at his supper, eating slowly as he sulked in misery, wishing there was something he could put on the grits to take away the blandness of it. He found himself wishing that his mother had had her little meltdown _while_ she was cooking them. That way at least her tears may have added some much needed flavor to the otherwise tasteless dish. He grabbed his cup and took a deep swig of water to help wash down the last few bites.

Severus knew better than to say anything about it. He was meant to just accept what he got and be grateful for it. He knew it wasn't his mother's fault. She was trying her best given the circumstances, and Severus appreciated her for it-

 _Some apple juice would have been nice though…_

Severus pushed himself away from the table, his chair scraping loudly against the floor as he got up, winning him an angry glare of warning from his mother. It didn't matter anyway, once Tobias passed out from drinking nothing would wake him. Not for hours at the very least. He matched her glare momentarily before it quickly turned into a downcast look of guilty apology. His momentary lapse of noisy indifference returned to his careful demeanor of silent restraint as he crept silkily into the kitchen, dishes in hand.

When he returned he nodded his head towards the attic. An indication that meant he was headed for bed. Eileen nodded once in acknowledgement and mimicked the gesture. In their thoroughly practiced game of charades that roughly translated as: ' _Go on then.'_ Severus could practically hear the words as her voice echoed around in his brain. Without any further exchange he stealthily disappeared up the narrow staircase and out of sight.

In the privacy of his room, Severus stepped out of his shoes and kicked moodily at the old mattress, sending a puff of dust billowing into the air above where he had struck. He shrugged out of his oversized jacket and whipped it, several times, against his bed in frustration, one sleeve clasped tightly in his fist before he relented and hurled it into a corner of the room. He was breathing heavily, his fists quaking at his sides. It wasn't like him to lose control of his emotions like this, but in truth it _did_ make him feel better, if only just.

With more maintained control than he felt, he continued to undress until he was prepared to crawl beneath his single thinning blanket and wait while sleep claimed him. There, on his back staring at the usual blemishes on the ceiling, he recalled his humiliation, and felt the shame burn hot on his cheeks.

Ashamed that he couldn't conjure _Sentirenon_ like he had been practicing. Ashamed that he had been reduced to a blubbering, pleading speck of patheticness at his father's feet. Ashamed that he could do absolutely nothing for his mother in her time of need. Ashamed that she felt this way in the first place, like it was somehow _his_ fault. It was **always** _his_ fault. Ashamed at the childish way he had reacted to the night's events and at his sudden loss of temper.

His hand drifted up to his face to delicately test the spot where his cheek met the ground, flinching at the unexpected tenderness beneath his touch. His final thought as he drifted off to sleep was of how glad he was that nobody was there to witness it. _That,_ at the very least, he counted as a blessing. Perhaps luck hadn't abandoned him just yet…

* * *

 _Trapped. He was trapped in a room of darkness. The kind of darkness that seeped beneath your skin and swallowed you from the inside out, a darkness that left you feeling as cold as you were lonely._

 _In the distance he heard the distinct sounds of distress. But, he didn't just hear it, he could feel it. Like it was when he could reach into someone's head and just know things. The pages that were once empty filling up before your eyes in a secret language of pictures, and of images, and feelings, ready to be read by those with the knowledge to break them. In this same way, he just knew._

 _It began weak and faint, like it had traveled a long distance to meet his ear. A garbled cry for help that came in consistent mews and squeaks of anguish. If only he could get to it, he knew he could help. He knew that the infection of magic currently crackling through his veins would be powerful enough. A sense of urgency took him. Shook him. If only he could-_

" _Come on, boy. Show yer Ma what kinda man you really are."_

 _Fear clenched in his chest, and tightened against his throat. It couldn't be. No, not-_

 _Tobias Snape stepped fluidly from shadow, his face aglow in unnatural light from within the darkness. His mouth stretched wide, in an impossible grin, one that showed all his teeth and more. His cruel, empty eyes of black and void were burrowing themselves deep within his stomach like worms. Digging. Writhing. Rotting._

" _Please-"_

" _Do it, Sev! Do it! You needs toughenin' up!" Tobias spat. His grin continued to grow wider, contorting his face even further._

" _No, I-"_

" _Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, DO IT, DO IT!"_

 _A final cry of pain pierced the atmosphere, swallowing all other noise and sucking it all in with it, as nothing but quiet remained. It was horrible, loud and alien, and it ended with a wet sounding gurgle that etched itself into your brain as one you would never forget, and hoped to never hear again._

 _He glanced down and found he was clutching a garden stone in his hand. His fingers clenched tightly against it. He tried to loosen his hold, tried to will his fingers to let go, but they remained frigid, frozen in a solid, icy grip. The stone was dripping...plink-plink-plink. Beads of ruby falling from it's side and out of sight._

" _But, I didn't- I never-"_

 _The silence split as the creature that was Tobias Snape began to laugh maniacally. A cruel, cold, deranged laugh that mocked and terrorized anyone who heard it. A laugh that struck fear into the hearts of the kindest, bravest souls and left them shaking in puddles of sweat and piss. This was what hell sounded like. Evil. Pure, unadulterated evil._

" _Tha's my boy."_

 _He tore his eyes away from the creature and back to the garden stone in his hand that was no longer there. Instead his fingers were gripping something wet and slimy and he was positive that should he grip any harder his fingers would slip right through it like a ball of jello. He stared into the green iris that stared back at him, the pupil dilating with the recognition of stolen attention._

 _Severus withdrew his hand in alarm and disgust, waving it through the air as though to rid himself of the unpleasant sensation still gracing his fingertips. The eye rolled across the floor with a thick squelching sound, stopping with the vivid green iris still fixated on him. Unblinking. Unwavering. Unforgiving._

 _Panic seized him and he squirmed uncomfortably to his feet. Eyes. Thousands of them. All staring accusingly. All of them penetrating him with the unholy persecution of injustice. Rows and rows of them, all fiercely green, stacked and towering over him. They knew. They could see. They could see right through him. They knew all. Would tell all. A dark room replaced by a room of the all seeing eye. He had been seen, and there was nowhere he could hide-_

* * *

Severus woke with a gasp, his blanket tangled around his waist which had wrapped itself firmly against his body. His skin had wept pearls of sweat as he slept and when he rose from his position on his back he left a damp watermark on his pillow. Already the details of the nightmare had begun to fade around the edges, but what he could remember still had him in a state of terrified unease.

He dropped his face into his hands and tried to rub the rest of the dream away, wiping away the lingering sweat on his forehead. He got up from the mattress, peeling the blanket away from his thighs and stomach with some difficulty. He hadn't had a dream like that in awhile. They usually got bad on the nights he had confrontations with his father, but they decided not to plague him the last few incidents and Severus was beginning to think, perhaps, it had just been a phase. He was disappointed to discover otherwise.

He desperately needed to get freshened up. He was uncomfortably wet and sticky and a sour smell was still hanging heavy in the air from the perspiration he accumulated on his dream venture. He could _not_ meet Lily like this, such a proposition was simply out of the question. It embarrassed him to even think it was a possibility.

He swept down the stairs as carefully as he could before anyone had a chance to really see him. He slipped into the tiny bathroom, locking the door quietly behind him, and flicked on the shower. He sighed heavily as he looked at the diminishing bar of soap on the sill. Tobias didn't like how expensive shampoo was, thought it was a luxury that most could do without-

" _Ain't nothin' a bar of soap couldn' handle. I won' have ya prancin' about like some sissy smellin' like parfume when a bar o' soap is all ya need. Filthy excuse partin' a man with 'is hard earned payin. It's all the same shit."_

Severus stepped beneath the steady stream of water and grabbed up the bar of soap. His hair was soaked through from the nightmare, and with no shampoo he had no choice but to use the bar and attempt to scrub his hair with it. He tended to avoid washing it. When he felt he couldn't put it off much longer, (like last night for example), he would give in, but the after effect of the soap in his hair made it feel thicker and greasier than before. The suds coated his scalp and were hard to rinse away. At least it smelled better.

After cleansing himself as thoroughly as he dared, he flicked off the water and stepped from the tiny stall, leaving behind as little trace as possible. His father probably wasn't awake yet so he still had time to sneak out of the house before Tobias stumbled in for work. Severus decided that today he wouldn't wait in the attic for him to leave. He was still angry with Eileen over the events of last night, and guilty over _Sentirenon._ He didn't want to get caught up in another defense lesson. His mind made up, he finished dressing and combing out his hair with his fingers as best he could before slinking out of the house into the crisp morning air.

It was still early. Too early to meet Lily. She probably wasn't even awake yet. He thought he might walk into town and try to earn some spare change carrying bags or shining shoes. Yes, that was the best option if he wanted to kill time. The walk would wake him up and allow for the rest of the town to do the same before he arrived. He didn't want to appear too eager to meet Lily, even though he was. Stuffing his hands comfortably inside his pockets, he walked tenaciously towards town.

* * *

The morning had flown by, what with the walk and the prospect of putting in some good and honest work. Severus strolled back the way he had come, keeping to the cluster of trees whenever he could, a brown paper bag crinkling happily in the crook of one arm. It had been a good morning. He was able to help several people carry their parcels to their vehicles and most of them even gave him a little something. It wasn't always money, but who was Severus to deny gratification when it was so generously offered to him?

He was even able to shine one gentleman's shoes for him and since neither he or the man seemed to be in any sort of hurry, Severus went over them very thoroughly indeed. He was shocked when the man paid him almost four times what he normally earned. He tried to return some of it, insisting the man had made a mistake and paid him too much. The gentleman in the handsome green suit waved a hand dismissively and insisted he keep it all, it had been the best job anyone had ever done polishing his shoes. He parted with a low chuckle and a jaunty wave of his arm, leaving Severus, money in-hand, wearing a dumbfounded expression.

He walked to the local grocery market, his morning earnings jingling happily in his pockets. He decided to pick up a few things for the night's supper. Potatoes, fresh baked rolls, and beef. He was able to obtain some cheaper cuts of meat from the market butcher who willingly sold him some leftover trimmings from the morning prep. He also picked up a small jar of salt and another bar of soap. Satisfied with his array of goods he turned to leave when he saw a beautiful display of freshly cut flowers that stopped him in his tracks.

It would be nice to be able to give something back to Lily for all she had done. For Pine Peak, and for the consistent flow of snack foods she always seemed to have with her. This could be his way of saying thank-you. A large, burly man with a good-natured face and a pinstripe apron saw him contemplating the flowers and approached him.

As Severus walked, the single golden lily poked out from the top of the bag. The man had been very kind. He explained to Severus that yellow was the color of friendship (after Severus stammered out he hadn't any girlfriend). He thought that Lily would appreciate her namesake most. He almost didn't buy it. He hadn't enough money, but the man took what remained of Severus' earnings and sold it to him anyway when he told the man her name was Lily. His only condition was to come back and tell him how things went the next time he was in town, to which Severus enthusiastically agreed.

But now, as he slowly grew closer and closer to Pine Peak he was having second thoughts. What if she thought it was some big, romantic gesture and rejected the gift with disgust? Would she still want to hang around with him if she knew he was interested in being more than just friends? Would he lose the best thing to happen to him because of some stupid flower? His throat tightened and butterflies erupted in his stomach. Now the idea of giving Lily a lily seemed more cheesy than it did clever, and he wished he never bought the damn thing.

He approached the clearing, and spotted a spark of vibrant red hair that had his heart doing flip flops against his chest. He quickly parked the bag in the shade behind one of the larger trees and stuffed the flower further down and out of sight. Nervously he greeted Lily with the palm of his hand and forced a smile that probably looked entirely too fake.

"Wotcher!" he waved a little too cheerily. Lily gave him an odd look that he couldn't quite identify.

"Um, hey Sev" she replied cautiously as she looked him up and down, her eyes lingering on his face. "Are you...are you alright?"

"Yes! Fine!" he squeaked his smile widening as he puffed out his chest. Lily looked less than convinced and her expression was that of confusion mixed with worry.

"Well then...great," she said, returning a small lopsided smile. "Should we sit down then?" Lily started walking towards the shelter and immediately Severus intercepted her, his hands against both shoulders, pinning her arms to her sides as he whisked her back around.

"Yes, of course! Let's sit by the river today shall we?" he forced laughter as he pushed Lily down the path and towards the stream.

"Sure…" Lily supplied slowly, the worry bleeding into her voice as she allowed herself to be steered up the path. "Severus, what's going on? What's got into you? Are you sure you're alright?" Severus sighed deep as they cleared the woods and shook himself internally while releasing his hold on Lily's shoulders.

"I'm sure," he stated calmer than before. "Sorry, I- I didn't sleep well last night." He offered. He shot her one of his awkward half smiles and parked himself beneath a thicket of trees on the bank, Lily following suit. She sat across from him, folding her legs in front of her and looking down into her lap. She was nibbling on her bottom lip and her mouth kept opening and closing as though she were wanting to say something to him.

"Can I ask you something?" she finally blurted.

Severus nodded, holding his breath and hoping against hope that she wasn't about to question why he wanted to sit by the river this afternoon, or further pry into the reason behind his earlier behavior. The silence was starting to weigh on him as she tried to find the words and he unbuttoned his long coat and folded it neatly to the side to prevent the inevitable warmth that would come flooding to his face. Lily took a deep breath.

"There's this...project I'm working on," she began. "Problem is that I want- no- I think I _need_ to use magic to do it." Her hands fidgeted nervously in her lap and she refused to look him in the eye. "Will it get me in trouble if I do it? What happens if you get caught? Will I be expelled? Will I have to stay here and pretend like I don't know I'm different or that there's this whole other world hidden right under our nose?" She looked at him then, her eyes wide and pleading. Severus released the breath he had been holding, relieved at the change in subject.

"Expulsion is a possibility," he replied carefully. "When you go to school you get a trace on you and the Ministry can punish you if you do magic outside school, you get letters."

"But I _have_ done magic outside school!" Lily almost shouted.

"We're all right. We haven't got wands yet. They let you off when you're a kid and you can't help it. But once you're eleven-" he eyed her earnestly and nodded, "-and they start training you, then you've got to go careful."

He thought she looked visibly relieved as she picked up a fallen twig and started twirling it about in contemplative silence. A subtle smile graced her lips thoughtfully as though she were remembering something. With that, she tossed the twig aside and leaned in towards him, almost conspiratorially.

"It _is_ real, isn't it?" she whispered "It's not a joke?" she leaned back and worried her bottom lip again as her eyes bore into him anxiously. She sighed and looked away as though she were struggling with herself in a heated, internal debate. "Petunia says you're lying to me. Petunia says there isn't a Hogwarts." Her troubled eyes met his once again. "It _is_ real, isn't it?"

"It's real for us, not for her. But we'll get the letter, you and me." He smiled at her reassuringly.

"Really?" She looked at him as though she were searching for any indication that he wasn't just stringing her along in some sick, twisted joke. Any clue at all that told her he was lying to her.

"Definitely," he replied confidently.

"And will it really come by owl?" Lily questioned, cocking an eyebrow at him skeptically. She looked so mischievous with a faint smile teasing the corner of her mouth, like she was prepared to strike him if he dared contradict himself.

"Normally, but you're Muggle-born, so someone from the school will have to come and explain to your parents."

She frowned thoughtfully, her brow furrowing. "Does it make a difference, being Muggle-born?"

Severus hesitated. He thought about the experiences he had with Muggles in the past. Unfortunately, they weighed more on the negative side than the positive. His father was a Muggle... The neighborhood kids were Muggles too, and he spent far too much time hiding from them and their cruel jokes and games that were often at his expense. Even Lily's sister seemed downright unpleasant to be around, his casual encounter with her had grated on his nerves almost instantly. However, they weren't all bad… He thought about the large, friendly man with the flowers, and of the gentleman in the green suit-

"No, it doesn't make any difference." He said as he drank in the sight of her.

"Good," she said giggling with relief. She flopped herself over onto her back with her hands behind her head and stared into the canopy above, the shadows off the leaves casting interesting shadows on her face. Severus thought she looked even prettier now, if it was possible, with the ghosts of green shadow illuminating her skin and her dark red hair spread out like a halo around her. He tore his eyes away with some difficulty-

"You've got loads of magic, I saw that. All the time I was watching you…" he trailed off, recognizing his mistake as the words tumbled out of his mouth.

 _Way to go Sev... How could you say that? Careless!_

He flushed, his shoulders slumping in like he was trying to disappear on the spot. He hoped that she hadn't been listening, or if she had she didn't take it the wrong way. He was really starting to enjoy her company.

"How are things at your house?" Lily asked suddenly. It was clear that she was trying to act casual about it, but the spontaneity of the question paired with the slight strain in her voice made it clear that she cared a great deal more than she was letting on. Does she know something? But, that couldn't be possible, could it? He was probably just being paranoid.

"Fine." he stated flatly.

"They're not arguing anymore?"

"Oh yes, they're arguing," Severus picked up a handful of leaves and began ripping them apart distractedly. He didn't like where this was going. As though realizing he may have said too much he added hastily, "But it won't be that long and I'll be gone."

Lily seemed to think on her next words carefully. "Doesn't your dad like Magic?"

"He doesn't like anything much," Severus said darkly.

There was a brief silence as his words hung in the air. "Severus?" Lily's voice sounded timid and small yet, still, somehow forcefully concerned at the same time. He couldn't help but smile at how charming it sounded.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the Dementors again."

"What d'you want to know about them for?" he asked, shocked when he remembered her initial reaction to them.

"If I use magic outside of school-" Lily began apprehensively.

"Cripes, they wouldn't give you to the Dementors for that! Dementors are for people who do really bad stuff. They guard the wizard prison Azkaban. You're _not_ going to end up in Azkaban, you're too-" He cut himself off, unsure of what word to use in the present list that had sprung to mind when he thought of her. Kind? Pure? Innocent? Good? None of them seemed quite right, so he shredded more leaves as he mentally pored over his internal dictionary of 'Words that Describe Lily,' uncomfortably aware of how hot his face felt.

There was a soft rustling sound from behind a nearby tree that caused him to jump to his feet, ready to do what needed doing should the occasion arise. The Muggle girl - Lily's sister - had stumbled out from behind the thick textured trunk and was attempting to right herself again as she found her footing. A hot flash of anger shot through him, how dare she invade his privacy like that? How much had she heard? How long had she been hiding?

"Tuney?!" Lily said with surprise. Lily's tone made it obvious that she was nowhere near as peeved as he was. As a matter of fact she even sounded, dare he say it, happy. But then come to think of it, _she_ wasn't the one sharing uncomfortable little tidbits about her private life. That had been all him.

"Who's spying now!?" he shouted angrily. "What d'you want?" She better choose her next words carefully, because the anger he was feeling now about the obscene invasion of privacy made him feel like he could hex her into the next century.

Petunia looked startled and a little frightened of Severus's defensive stance and his furious tone. She regained her composure, narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips into a tight line. Her hands perched themselves automatically into the narrow grooves of her hips. Severus wouldn't be surprised if the curves in her pelvis weren't worn down as a result of her hands almost constant presence there. She pointed a sharp finger at his chest which only caused his anger to rise.

"What is that you're wearing, anyway? You're mum's blouse?"

 _ **CRACK**_

Petunia screamed as an overhead branch snapped in two and fell right over top of her head, clipping her on the shoulder. She staggered backwards from the impact while Lily's screams of concern were echoing somewhere in the background. Petunia burst into tears. Whipping herself around, she fled. Lily rounded on Severus with a look of shocked outrage.

"Did you make that happen?" She accused hotly.

"No," he challenged insolently. On the outside he was bold, still on the defensive, but inside, his heart sank into his stomach and he was terrified.

"You did," she took a step back from him, as though afraid he was going to hex _her_ next. She looked horrified and betrayed, and the thought of her being angry _or_ afraid of him was more than he could stand.

 _No-_

"You _did!_ You hurt her!" Lily spat.

"No - no I didn't!"

He wanted to explain to her that she probably _wasn't_ hurt. The branch had hardly grazed her. It could have been a lot worse. He didn't mean to make it happen. What about the stuff she did? What about the stuff she overheard while she was _spying_ on them? Shouldn't he be the one feeling betrayed right now? He wanted to say so much more, to argue his point! This was hardly fair-

Lily took one last burning look at him before she whirled around and stormed off after her sister, leaving Severus behind to stare after her retreating back in mortified confusion. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't allow this to end. They had only been hanging around with each other for a few days, but regardless of the span of time, he felt he had grown too reliant on her now. She was his only happiness. A welcome retreat from the misery of his life. He _needed_ her. She was already so ingrained into his soul he couldn't imagine not being her friend. What should he do? No matter the cost he had to fix this. He _must_ fix it.

"Looks like that flower might come in handy after all…"

 **A/N: I know I know, I'm sorry this update took so long. You have to understand that Little Sev had just been through something truly traumatic. He needed time to lick his wounds before I took him out to play again. This was my longest chapter yet so I hope that makes up for it at least a little. Thank you all for reading!**

 **** Some dialogue was taken directly from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in my favorite chapter "The Prince's Tale" so that doesn't belong to me, t** ** **hat all belongs to Miss JK Rowling.** though I did add my own tidbits here and there. I don't make money etc etc. blah blah just for fun**

 **Special shout out to plutoplex and BlackRoseDragon97 for the wedding congrats (aren't you both sweet!) and to lannistersdebt for the lovely review! If you all are still enjoying the story, let me hear it! I'm still working on getting myself out there haha  
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter :)**

 ***Minor Re-editing***


	8. Chapter 8: Lily

Chapter 8: Lily

Fuming, Lily stomped after Petunia, her heavy footsteps in hot pursuit of her older sister. She couldn't believe it! She would _never_ in her _life_ hurt someone else on purpose the way Severus did just then. She wanted to believe he was better than that! But to try and pull what he pulled-

A low groan resonated in the back of her throat from her irritation, sounding more like a growl than the audible release of frustration she intended it to be. Images of Severus being wrestled to the ground danced beneath her eyelids and she shoved them away angrily. It's not an excuse to harm others, she thought stubbornly, quickening her stride. Petunia had enough of a head start that she couldn't even see her anymore, but she was sure she had run straight home, she just needed to get there. She wanted to be sure that her older sister was okay.

"Tuney!" Lily called, slamming the door shut behind her. "Tunia, are you here?" Tearful sniffles wafted from the direction of the front room sofa, and Lily breathed a sigh of relief as she rushed towards them. Petunia was curled on the cushions, hugging the throw blanket tightly around herself, thick tears spilling quietly down her cheeks. "Tuney? Are you alright?" Lily asked gently.

Petunia said nothing. Lily sat down beside her, raising her sisters feet so she could sit down, and then resting them back against her lap. Petunia turned to face her as she did, but then returned to her initial position on the arm of the sofa, determined to ignore her. Lily inspected her sister's face in peaceful regard, waiting for her to say something. When several minutes passed without the two of them exchanging a word, Lily broke the silence.

"At least let me have a look at it then."

A little crease appeared between Petunia's eyes and her brow furrowed in annoyance. "No thank-you," she said stiffly. "I don't need _you_ poking around at it." She gripped the blanket tighter as though to shield herself more effectively from her sister. Lily let out an exasperated sort of sigh and rolled her eyes.

"Fine, if you want to be a baby about it. I just hope the infection doesn't spread or we may have to cut your arm off."

Petunia scoffed in disbelief, but loosened her grip on the blanket anyway, shrugging her arm out from beneath the blanket and thrusting it at Lily. The scrape was shallow. Several white lines marked the surface, some of them sporting raised pieces of deadened skin that were too superficial to break through completely. Others had leaked bubbles of blood and fluid where the rough crust of the tree branch had collided with Petunia's shoulder. One thing for certain, she was going to live. The cut didn't look bad, though it did need to be washed out.

"You'll want to clean that," Lily stated, returning the arm after her examination. Petunia snorted but didn't move. Lily sighed again dramatically. "No, no don't get up. I'll get it," she said sarcastically as she rose from her seat.

She returned with a clean, wet cloth, alcohol swab, and bandages. She settled herself on the floor in front of Petunia and arranged the items within easy grasp. Lily held out her hand expectantly for the offending appendage, fixing her sister with a stern look that told her she may as well be compliant and let her do this because there was no way she was getting out of it. Petunia relented and sunk down against the cushions so her shoulder was completely exposed, one arm tucked neatly beneath her while the other she let rest in Lily's outstretched palm.

Lily got to work, first wiping away the more obvious smears of dirt with the wet cloth. "Does it hurt?" She asked Petunia lightly while she scrubbed gently against some of the more stubborn marks.

"No, of course not. It feels fantastic, better than it did before the tree," Petunia said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

"I'm sorry he did that to you," Lily replied softly, ignoring the acid in her sister's voice.

"I wouldn't have expected anything less from _him."_

Lily continued with her work, setting aside the soiled cloth and then peeling away the wrapping of the alcohol swab. She was trying not to let her sister's words get to her too much, she knew that she was upset. "This will sting a bit," she informed Petunia as she pressed the swab against the scrape.

Petunia inhaled sharply between her teeth, her eyes squeezed shut tightly as she waited for the pain to cease. She let out a high pitched whimper and kicked her feet out in tight little fits. Lily shook her head, Petunia always had been a bit of a wimp. She picked up the bandages and unwrapped one in thoughtful silence. "Tuney... what were you doing at the river today?" she asked as casually as possible. Petunia stiffened visibly under Lily's touch, but said nothing. Lily finished applying the bandage and covered it over with Petunia's sleeve, watching her face expectantly. "Tunia-" Lily prompted dangerously.

"I was...I was just-"

"-Just spying on me," Lily finished for her.

"I was _worried_ about you! Okay?!" Petunia burst out, straightening up. "I saw you grab your shoes this morning, I knew where you were going. I knew you were going to meet _him._ I don't trust him Lily, he's-"

"He's what?" Lily shot back, suddenly on the defensive. "Poor? Weird? A _Wizard?"_ she emphasized hotly.

"You don't actually still believe that do you?" Petunia almost laughed. "Lily, he's _lying_ to you! He just likes you, that's all. This is all just an excuse to get close to you! You never would have given him the time of day if he didn't make something up and give you a _reason_ to."

"That's rather snooty of you," Lily retorted, her voice steady with forced control. "It's not unheard of to have boys and girls be just friends. Do you want to know what I think? I think you're afraid. You're afraid of me and you're afraid of him because he's _like_ me. You think I don't notice the way you flip out when I do things? I'm not blind and I'm not stupid. You're jealous!"

"Jealous!?" Petunia screeched. "Jealous of what?! Being a freak?" Lily flinched from the ugliness of her sister's words but her face remained stoic. She refused to let Petunia see how much her words had hurt her. "Believe me, I am _anything_ but 'jealous'."

"Then why were you following me?" Lily blurted angrily. "If you aren't jealous, then why spy on us?"

Petunia looked like she was doing everything in her power to keep from screaming at the top of her lungs. "I already told you-" she began slowly through clenched teeth, "I was _worried_ about you! I heard you come home last night. Late! After curfew! You were Hysterical, I heard you crying! So help me Lily, if it was because of _him-"_

Lily looked uncomfortable. "What would you know about it anyway? It's really none of your business."

"Did he hurt you?" Petunia asked suddenly. Her face was more serious than Lily had ever seen it. Lily faltered from the unexpected nature of the question, and when she didn't answer right away Petunia repeated herself, forcefully enunciating each syllable. "Did. He. Hurt. You?"

"No," Lily stated bluntly. "No, he didn't hurt me."

"He will. Give him time." Petunia said ominously, her arms folded in front of her chest. She looked down her nose at Lily who was still sitting on the floor in front of her. She looked slightly intimidating from this angle, though Lily didn't want to admit it, but she would not allow herself to be deterred.

"You shouldn't talk about him like that," Lily muttered gloomily. "You don't know-"

"-I know enough," Petunia interrupted her. "I know that if you keep hanging around with him he's _going_ to wind up hurting you. Maybe not right away, but eventually. He's already following you around like some stray."

"The same way _you_ were following me around today?" Lily countered.

Petunia glared at Lily intently. "You're starting to sound like a broken record."

"At least I know what I'm talking about, which is more than I can say for you. You shouldn't talk about things you don't understand."

"Where has all the food gone Lily?" Petunia asked suddenly, a smug expression crossing her features.

"What? What are you going on about?" Lily asked in confused outrage.

Petunia waved a hand dismissively. "Don't pretend like you don't know. You think I haven't noticed how much more you've been 'eating' the last couple of days? Or does hanging out with weirdos make you hungrier? You're feeding him too, aren't you?" she asked smoothly.

"What does that have to do with- well- with _anything!"_ Lily snapped.

"Nothing. Just that if you keep feeding the stray he's bound to turn around and bite you in the arse. It's what dogs do."

"I wouldn't bother explaining what dogs do, Petunia " Lily warned her in a low, and dangerous voice. "You're doing a pretty good job of it yourself." The both of them shot to their feet, their eyes locked. Both sets piercing the other intently in a profound showdown of fire and ice.

"Fine!" Petunia shouted furiously. "Do what you want then! That's what I get for caring _."_ Petunia threw her up hands in defeat. If I had known this was the thanks I'd get, I wouldn't have bothered. I hope you enjoy your time together while it lasts. You and that- that MUTT!"

"Petunia!" Lily roared, scandalized by the offensive term. But Petunia wasn't listening, she had whirled herself around and stormed from the living room, hammering each step as hard as she could up the stairs with her stockinged feet, the thundering footfalls growing fainter with the distance she put between them. A loud _**bang**_ shook the house. Evidently, Petunia made it to her room and had done a very thorough job of slamming the door shut behind her, leaving Lily quite alone.

 _Fuck._

This wasn't at all how she expected the scene to go. It wasn't how it was _supposed_ to go. She didn't want to keep arguing with her sister. She was tired. Tired of the tension and of the fighting. She missed Petunia, she really did, and she was trying her darnedest to make amends. The added issue of Severus had made everything between them that much more complicated and strained, because of how much Petunia loathed him. She didn't know why she felt compelled to keep jumping to his defenses either, but...it just wasn't right. Petunia didn't understand. He was the only other person she could talk to. The only person that understood what she was going through. She also didn't understand about Severus. She hadn't seen what she saw. If she did, maybe she wouldn't be so quick to condemn him.

Lily took in a deep breath before she followed Petunia's example, albeit a lot more quietly, and retreated to her bedroom. She collapsed on her bed, hugging her pillow to her chest and stared at the headboard. She neglected to turn on the light, and the brightness in the room slowly diminished from the setting sun as she lay in deep reflection. Dad would be home soon, she thought distractedly, Mum too. It was one of those days where the girls were meant to spend the majority of the day on their own. Mr. Evans had been pulling a lot of over time lately with the hopes of getting that promotion, and Mrs. Evans had a Book Club Meeting to go to once she was done running errands. Lily didn't mind too much, but she hoped they would come home soon, the house was too quiet, and it felt empty without them.

As she brooded in her bedroom staring at the four walls, Lily's mind began to drift and wander. The most unwelcome being that of Severus being thrown to the ground on excruciating repeat. The more she was forced to re-watch the horrific display in her mind, the more eager she was to show that awful man a thing or two about karmic justice. She needed to hatch a plan to get back at him. Something that wouldn't tie her directly to the violation, but also had to ensure Severus wouldn't be blamed accidentally. As she thought deeper on the possibilities her brain eventually turned to the conversation she had with Severus that afternoon. About being caught doing magic outside school and the consequences of those actions. He _said_ they would let you off before you had any training. If she was going to do something about this and get away with it, it had to be soon. Before school.

Very suddenly, an image imprinted itself vibrantly in her mind in an unexpected flash of color, causing her to gasp involuntarily at the intrusion, her heart thrumming loudly in her chest. It looked like...It looked like her house? But like she was seeing it from the _outside._ As though she were standing on her lawn and looking up at it.

 _That's weird._

Lily recognized the symptoms far too easily. This had happened to her a few times before, after all.

 _Severus._

It couldn't be though, could it? Taking a well educated gamble, Lily chanced a glance out her bedroom window, intuition guiding her reaction. She thought she had prepared herself, but she was surprised to find how totally _un_ prepared she was for what she saw. Something a bright canary yellow was floating outside her window. Actually _floating._ Like no strings attached, supernatural, 'beam me up Scottie' kind of floating. Lily's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the mysterious object. She approached it warily, almost tip-toeing across the carpet, but as she drew nearer, she realized what it was, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

 _A flower. It's only a flower._

All at once, all the emotion she had felt earlier that afternoon from the 'Severus-and-Petunia' incident came flooding back to her and she closed the last few steps to the window in a fury. She was still livid with him for what he had done. She tore open her bedroom window and, ignoring the slight spark of admiration she felt at seeing a flower floating gracefully in mid-air, glared stony eyed into the yard.

A pale face stuck out drastically against the fading light of the evening, creating a sharp contrast between it and the rest of the immediate surroundings. From her vantage point he appeared much smaller than she remembered, but it was definitely him. Pale skinned, oddly clothed and though he was the one standing outside her window at this ungodly hour, readily avoiding her gaze.

"What are you doing here?" Lily hissed. "If my parents catch you-"

She hoped the empty threat would be enough, that he wouldn't catch her bluff. Severus cringed at her tone but didn't move an inch. Scoffing haughtily, Lily made to close the window.

"Wait!" Severus called at her, an edge of panic in his voice. "I just- I just want you to hear me out."

"I have nothing to say to you Severus," she replied coldly. "Go home."

"Okay," he muttered.

Lily closed the window on Severus and on the flower that was still hovering outside the glass, determined to ignore him and his apologies. She turned to go back to bed when she heard a bunch of loud scraping and banging sounds coming from the side of the house. Mortified, Lily quickly ran back and ripped the window open once more. What she saw might have been quite humorous if she hadn't been so angry. Severus had moved from his spot on the lawn, but instead of turning around and heading home, he began climbing the house.

"Sev! Stop! What on earth are you doing?!" Lily scolded as she watched his progress from the window, her eyes round with disbelief.

"I ain't-" he grunted "gotta answer- to you," he breathed as he struggled clumsily up the side of the house.

Severus was wearing a look of annoyed determination. His brow crumpled between black eyes, and he glared grumpily at his makeshift handholds. All the while his bottom lip protruded out slightly in a stubborn pout that was unexpectedly charming.

Lily stared flabbergasted, as Severus reached the part of the roof that would give him clear access to her bedroom window, one pale hand flung over the shingles with conviction. Damn her parents for buying a house with a divided roof! Sure, at first she thought it was cool, how she could sit on it so easily from simply stepping through the bedroom window, but not when she had a crazy juvenile wizard boy scaling the side of her house!

He was panting slightly, and she heard him cuss more than once as he continued to climb awkwardly up the wall. She had to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing at the ludicrous scene he was making. Staggering to his feet he wiped his forehead on his sleeve and clutched at a stitch in his side, attempting to catch his breath. With one fluid movement, as though in an afterthought, he swept the flower into his hand and slumped down beside her window with a groan.

Lily quickly rearranged her features back to one of stern discontentment before Severus could catch her hiding a smile. She would lose her edge if he knew he had come close to making her laugh and she hadn't forgiven him just yet. She was actually surprised she hadn't already slammed the window in his face and simply walked away, but she supposed she owed him a moment to plead his case since he _had_ put through such a solid effort to get her attention.

"Make it quick or bugger off, 'Snape,'" Lily said icily. The use of his surname seemed to affect him more than she thought. With the hurt look he gave her when she said it, she could almost say she was sorry about it. Almost.

"Give me a break, I just climbed a bloody wall," Severus choked out in disbelief. "God, Lily what does it take?" he growled moodily under his breath. He twirled the flower wildly between his fingertips, his arms resting absently against his knees as he did. "I just came to say that I didn't mean for it to happen." When she failed to respond he added, "your sister-"

"You _hurt_ her," Lily interrupted. "Did you do _that_ on purpose?"

"No!"

...

"Lily, I swear! I mean- I made it happen, but it wasn't on purpose! My magic- I was angry and I- I lost control," Severus stammered anxiously. "But I didn't- I didn't mean it."

Lily watched his face fall with defeat near the end of his blubbering. Why was he affecting her this way? When she was around him it was as though she helplessly turned into putty. She found it hard to stay angry with him, he was charming in a completely pathetic sort of way that she found impossible to resist. She just felt for him…plus she had had her share of magical accidents so realistically she couldn't judge him _too_ harshly for that.

"Is that for me?" Lily asked suddenly, pointing at the whirling flower in her friend's hands. Severus flushed and nodded, holding it out to her in a stiff fist. Lily took the offered flower by the stem, at the same time crawling out of her window to settle next to Severus, mimicking his disposition. "Alright Sev, I think I may have found it in my heart to forgive you, BUT I don't _ever_ want to catch you doing something like that again. Understood?" Even to her own ears she knew she sounded like her mum, but she meant every word she said. The idea of being friends with someone who could hurt another person intentionally was out of the question. Severus looked embarrassed and his shoulders slumped down further as he stared at his knees, but he was nodding again slowly. Lily grinned despite herself. "Hey, lighten up could you? If I have to see you feeling sorry for yourself much longer I might just have to leave you out here on your own."

"Y-you're not angry?" Severus asked quietly.

"Oh no, I am angry. But I think I can manage to restrain it," Lily winked. Severus smiled gently to himself, still refusing to meet her eye. "The flower _is_ beautiful Sev," she said seriously, admiring it.

"Yellow is the color of friendship," he told her automatically.

"Is it?"

"I don't know, that's what the man in the apron told me." He shrugged lightly, turning a deeper shade of crimson. "And it's a-"

"Lily," she finished for him. "I know, they're my favorite," she smiled kindly at him, trying to put all the words she couldn't bring herself to say out loud into one meaningful look.

"I um- put an everlast charm on it…" Severus muttered softly, jabbing a finger in the direction of the lily. Lily's jaw dropped open in surprise at the overwhelming revelation about the gift in her hand.

"You did? You mean it- it won't ever die? It's forever?" she whispered in awe.

"You still need to keep it in water and stuff," Severus told her. "It still needs basic care, but as long as it has a consistent supply of water and occasional sunlight," he nodded "it won't ever wilt. It will always be in bloom."

"Severus...how did you even manage-?"

"It's not complicated," he explained hastily like it was no big deal. "It's easiest with non-magical plants because their chemical makeup isn't as complex. I'm still not sure I did it right, though. I guess if it dies, you'll know for sure." He looked up at her then and offered her a lopsided smirk.

Lily held the flower tenderly in her fingers and closed her eyes, bringing it in closer to her chest as though savoring it. She could feel the energy flowing steadily through the stem and she recognized it as Severus's own brand of magic. Like a fingerprint, totally personal and unique. She could feel it crackle and buzz as it flowed like liquid through the lily and into the sensitive pads of her fingertips.

It was an incredible feeling. She recognized his signature almost immediately. It were as though, on some level, she could always feel it when she was with him, but never realized it until just now. She felt the same waves of emotion crash and stir inside herself. Feelings she came to associate with seeing him. At first, she couldn't pinpoint what it was. But now, with the delicate gift in her hands, everything made sense and she gave up trying to put a label on it. It was just Severus.

Lily inhaled unsteadily as she opened her eyes again. "I really don't know what to say," she began. "Sev... _thank you,"_ she said, putting her hand against the crook of his arm for emphasis, her eyes shining. "For the best present anyone has ever given me."

"It's just a flower," he stated, but he looked pleased.

"You know, you should come over sometime," Lily stated thoughtfully. At the startled look on Severus's face she chuckled lightly and shoved him with the side with her knee. "Not now! But next time. It would be nice if you could do it properly and come inside at some point...and not have to climb up my house to do it." She stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"Y-yeah, maybe-"

"Oh shit!" Lily interrupted him suddenly, too distracted to censor herself. "Sev, I just realized, aren't you going to get in trouble? The sun's already down!" Lily had got to her feet in a panic and was looking out at the horizon...towards Spinner's end.

Severus looked crestfallen, but it was only for a moment, before the mask of indifference was set stubbornly back in place. "It's alright. I probably won't be in that much trouble, besides it'll be worth it." He grinned reassuringly at her.

Lily wasn't convinced. She saw what happened the other night with his Dad. But she had to play along or else Severus would know she knew something she shouldn't. She wasn't ready to tell him she knew, she wanted him to tell her in his own time. When he was ready. Plus, she was pretty sure he would be furious with her if he found out she had done her own spying. She looked guiltily at the flower still cupped in her hands, still pulsating with the energy of his magic. She felt horrible.

If something happened to him tonight it would be her fault. Wouldn't it? She was the reason he was here right now. Because of the way she left things with him that afternoon. She didn't make him come though, that had been his decision. But if she hadn't been so angry with him he wouldn't have felt compelled to stop by and patch things up. He hurt Petunia. It was an accident. She wasn't totally blameless in that respect either. If she found out something horrible happened to him on her account, how could she ever forgive herself? How was she meant to live with that? Back and forth she argued, and it was wasting valuable time.

"You have to go," Lily said urgently, attempting to hoist him up by the elbow. "My parents." she invented wildly.

"Oh, yeah- right."

Lily pushed him carefully, one hand on his back to make him move faster as they approached the edge of the roof. Severus swung his legs back over and started his careful descent, but paused momentarily with his head still overlooking Lily's ankles.

"Tomorrow?" he asked breathlessly.

"Tomorrow," Lily agreed. "Now GO!"

She waited until he made it to the ground safely and started walking away from the house. He walked backwards until she came into view again. She plastered on a fake smile and waved him off, watching him turn around and disappear behind the bushes.

She breathed a sigh of relief, remaining on the shingled roof just a little longer before heading back inside with the yellow lily cradled gently in her hands. She grabbed the water-glass off of her nightstand, the water-glass that she and Petunia abandoned a long time ago, and took it with her to the bathroom, filling it with cool water. Stepping carefully back into her bedroom she arranged it beside her alarm clock, flipping over the water pitcher to create a protective glass dome over top of it. She fiddled with the handle until it was at a satisfactory angle. One that wouldn't corrupt the pleasing aesthetic of the flower beneath it. With that done she collapsed into bed, her arms wrapped securely around her pillow as she stared happily at the gift.

Clearly, this was a friendship that would last a lifetime.

 **A/N: Surprise! I bet you weren't expecting to see another update so soon. I couldn't wait to write this chapter! So many lil' Sev and Lily feels!**

 **I know some of you may find Lily's character a little bit contradictory, but believe me I wrote her that way on purpose. Lily is first and foremost a Gryffindor, and Gryffindors are ruled by their heart and their passion and their sense of justice. I don't think Lily realizes that she's being a bit hypocritical when she says she couldn't be friends with someone who would intentionally harm another person while simultaneously plotting something wicked for Tobias Snape. All that and let's face it, she's 11.**

 **Thank you to everyone sticking it out with me so far! I truly appreciate your loyalty and hope you are continuing to enjoy this fic. If you care to leave a review, Sev and I would be ever so grateful.**

 ***Minor Re-editing***


	9. Chapter 9: Severus

Chapter 9: Severus 

**A/N: I feel like I have to warn everyone, it starts to get pretty grisly from here on out. Consider this your PSA. TW for domestic and child abuse and implied sexual misconduct. Consider yourself warned.**

Things had gone surprisingly well, Severus thought happily as he began the long journey back to Spinner's End. He had Lily's forgiveness in tow and he would be seeing her again tomorrow, just like he'd hoped. The decision to put an everlast charm on the yellow lily had been a last minute stroke of genius. When he went home tired and defeated from that uncomfortable occurrence with the Muggle girl, he thought very seriously on what he could do to fix what he had gone and muddled in the first place. His mother was moved practically to tears when he came home with the small assortment of groceries and promised him a good night's supper. In the meantime, he had gone upstairs to his attic bedroom and pored over his mother's old books, unsure of what he was looking for.

He found the charm in one of her herbology texts, ' _Herbs and You: A Beginner's Guide to Magical Gardening._ ' He had to tinker with the spell a little bit since he was dealing with a plant of no magical significance, but it turned out to be a very easy alteration. He just hoped it worked, for her sake as much as his.

It had been a bit, touch-and-go for awhile. He had expected her to be angry, but he never expected her to refuse to even listen to him. That had been an obstacle of dire inconvenience. In the end, he refused to be dismissed so carelessly and his stubbornness won out. Actions speak louder than words, and if she wasn't prepared to listen to him, than he had to be inclined to _do_ something about it. Perhaps the decision to conquer the side of her house had been a bit... _dramatic,_ but then again she was a dramatic sort of person, wasn't she? And Severus thought it was appropriate to speak her language. How else could he make her listen to him?

She had been right though, the decision to confront her so late in the evening was either perfectly concocted, or rather imbecilic. On the one hand, if he got home late enough, than Tobias would already be home and passed out on the sofa. He would have nothing to worry about. On the other less appealing hand, he would be awake and lucid enough to register he had gone, and Severus had no doubt he would pay for that one dearly. He hoped the situation didn't make a liar out of him, he already told Lily he wouldn't be in that much trouble-

' _Probably,' he had said 'probably.'_

Severus breathed a sigh of relief, comforted by the fact that he hadn't exactly lied. He was getting pretty good at inserting and omitting truths and twisting his words in just such a way that he remained honest without giving away too much. Letting people draw their own conclusions from what he said was key, as was knowing when to say very little. When you lived with a man like Tobias Snape, tactics like this were crucial for survival. It was a trait he'd have to remember to continue studying.

A cool wind blew in, tousling his over-large coat and trousers, making them flap around his lean frame and causing him to shiver slightly against the chill. It was no matter, he would be home soon and out of the wind at least. He held his breath as the small grey silhouette of his home appeared up the road in the steady gloom. Whatever lie in wait for him there would be worth it, he told himself, as he drew nearer and nearer to the cramped building embraced in shadow.

When he got close enough, he heard the familiar savage howls of madness that made him halt in his tracks and turned his blood to ice. the rampant roars of rage that could only be Tobias Snape. They cut through the chill night air, causing another violent shake that racked through his entire body and had nothing to do with the wind. distant at first, like an echoing whisper, but growing unmistakably louder as he closed the distance between himself and the house.

 _Great._

There, on the deserted pavement, he faltered and waited, standing stark still so he could listen to the distant shouting and attempt to catch some of what was being said-

"-back to me Eileen! You don' perform yer duties as a woman or as my wife! You can't even keep track o' that ruddy kid o' yours! Where is he Eileen? Cause he sure as hell ain't here! Yer a sorry excuse for a mother and I won't have it in my house, ya hear? You needs to be taught a lesson and I'ma teach ya up real nice ain't I? Just watch me-"

A horrific scream erupted up ahead, splitting across the sky like lightning.

Severus's heart dropped sickeningly into his gut before his feet were automatically thundering against the pavement. He sprinted desperately towards the house in a panic, his body reacting instinctively to his mother's distress. It felt like a dream. Or rather, like a nightmare. It was like he was running through water, trying desperately to get his limbs to move faster but unable to make his muscles react and obey as effectively as he wanted them to. A thousand _what if's_ flashed through his mind and, reacting purely on instinct, he reached out to his mother to try and gather the state of her.

Probing at the barrier was easy when it was lay so bare and near the surface. He felt pain, and fear, and resentment and currently he couldn't differentiate the panic he felt as Eileen's or his own or some combination of the two. Images of Tobias flashed in his brain, his lips peeled back from his teeth in a menacing snarl, one large calloused fist raised, the other gripping tight against a pale and delicate wrist. Severus tore up the walk and crashed through the door, his feet nearly giving out from under him as he stumbled into the house.

The scene before him was exactly as he had expected. Tobias towered over Eileen, one bony wrist clenched tightly in his fist as he pulled her across the floor towards him. Eileen's hands were out in front of her face defensively and she screamed and pleaded with her husband to stop, her skirts hiked halfway up her thighs from the force of being dragged across the floorboards. He was poised mid-strike when the thunderous crash of the front door being lobbed open distracted him from his brutal attack.

Tobias turned to look towards the noise, breathing heavily in fits of primal gasps and bursts that made him sound more animal than human. Fear reached out and caught hold of Severus, trickling down his spine and squeezing his stomach, stealing his air until his throat felt raspy and dry. As much as he was afraid, the anger at seeing his mother sprawled out on the kitchen floor in a tangle of sweat and tears, an expression of terror frozen on her face, was enough to ignite his courage. In the end, it was his courage that won.

"Leave. Her. Be." Severus threatened in a low but intense voice. His eyes narrowed and he tried to stand as tall and straight as possible for his small stature, his hands clenched into tight fists at his side.

"Well, well...what 'ave we here? Looks like someone's finally grown a pair, ain't that right, boy?" Tobias's mouth curled into a malicious grin. "So, it's Sev to the rescue, is it? Lookee here Eileen, yer son has finally dropped his balls, you must be mighty proud of 'im, ain't ya?" He released Eileen's wrist and stepped over her, folding his arms in front of him as he straightened himself up to his full height.

"Sev! What are you doin? Get outta here! Go to your room!" Eileen screeched frantically, her voice trembling all over as she steadied herself on shaky arms.

"Now, now Eileen, not so fast now," Tobias said calmly holding out a hand in front of her to stop her from talking. "Looks like Sev here has somethin' he wants to say, ain't that right, Sev?" Severus was shivering convulsively, but he stood his ground and met his father's eye.

"I said," he growled with barely controlled rage "to leave her be." He glowered hatefully at Tobias's towering form. Tobias chuckled humorlessly in the back of his throat.

"I'll tell you what, boy, I'ma make a deal with you," Tobias said airily. "Since you's finally toughin' up an' showin' me some backbone, Im'a give you the opportunity of a lifetime. Colour me impressed," he shrugged his massive shoulders and threw his arms out, gesturing as though in utter disbelief to the otherwise empty room. "If you can prove to me you's a man now, you can have whatever you want." Tobias didn't miss the look of distrust that flickered across his son's face. "Now, now I'm serious here. A man always keeps 'is word. If you want me to let yer ma alone, consider it done. If you want this here house, on my word, boy, you can have it. Hell, I'll even leave this house for good an' never come back if tha's what you want. Prove to me yer a man, and a man you'll be. And a man always has run of 'is house, don' he boy?"

Severus stood there looking doubtful, it sounded too good to be true. This could be his way out. If Tobias was telling the truth, all he had to do was prove himself and he, and his mother, would be free of this vile mound of human waste forever. No longer would he have to worry. No more pain. No more nightmares. No more tiptoeing around the house. No more fear...

 _If._

That one little word buzzed incessantly in the back of his brain like an angry insect. He sounded genuine enough, and he knew his father stuck to his word, Tobias was many things but a liar wasn't one of them. If there was something you could say about the man he was nothing if not honest. But the possibility of Tobias dangling something so significant in his face just to snatch it away again, no matter the outcome, felt like something he would do, especially when it meant tormenting Severus. In the end, the temptation was too great, this could be his one...his _only_ chance.

Severus's face became stony and resolute. "What do I have to do?"

"Tha's my boy!" Tobias all but whooped, clapping his massive hands together. "Did ya hear that Eileen?" Tobias called back over his shoulder over top her hysterical sobs. "Sev here is gonna show me how it's done! He'll be yer knight in shinin' armor yet. All you gotta do, son, is win. Do that and I'll honor yer terms, no matter what they be. Otherwise I won' think ya learned nothin' bout' what I been workin' so hard to hammer into that thick skull o' yours, and I can't very well leave that unfinished now, can I? Tha's an important lesson, that is."

"Tobi! No, please!" Eileen begged, the tears beginning to flow once more. "Don't hurt him!" She attempted to grapple his ankles, but he just shoved her off him with a fierce shake of his leg.

"Christ on a biscuit, Eileen, SHUT YER WHORE MOUTH!" Tobias roared.

"Win?" Severus interrupted hastily to distract Tobias from his mother's compromising position. "How?"

"Now, don' go gettin' yer knickers in a twist, it's just some good ole' fashioned tusslin' no big deal," he said holding up his hands to prevent any further interruptions. Tobias thew a beefy arm around Severus's shoulders, causing him to stumble slightly under his weight as he lead him easily into the house. Tobias bent over until he was level with his son's glowering stare. "You can do that, can't ya boy?" he whispered patronizingly.

"Severus Tobias Snape! Don't you dare!" Eileen shrieked from the ground, anger leaking into her voice, to mingle with the hysterics. Severus ignored her. This was what was best for the both of them. Even if she couldn't see that now.

"State your terms," Tobias said smoothly as he pulled a long strip of tattered cloth from his trouser pocket, glancing down at it mildly.

Severus knew that his cocky demeanor was designed to distract him and wear down his confidence before he ever even threw a punch, but he couldn't help but be irked by Tobias's arrogant attitude. "I want you out," Severus sneered. "Leave for good," he spat out, his temper rising.

Tobias grinned and nodded his head in agreement as though expecting that exact response. He slowly wrapped the fabric around his hand, just around the knuckles, tucking in the end and making an experimental fist with it. "You got yerself a deal," Tobias agreed as he opened his arms wide as though in welcome. "Now, show your Da what you got. Come on now, give me yer best shot."

"SEV! DON'T!" Eileen shouted.

Severus stood in uncertainty, still unsure if Tobias was trying to trick him or not. His mind went through about a hundred different scenarios all at once, calculating his best chance. How was he, Severus, a scrawny 11 year old kid who was all but 80 lbs soaking wet, meant to drop a full grown man ten times his size? The lack of concern or defensiveness in his father's stance was also making him uneasy. Severus took a deep breath and mustered up the rest of his courage before it fled. He may never again get another opportunity like this, and he had to try didn't he? Even if he failed miserably, he had to try, or the guilt of knowing there was a possibility, and that he had done nothing, would eat him alive from the inside.

Severus's face contorted into one of hate and rage as he shot towards Tobias, who sidestepped him easily. Tobias was looking severely disappointed at his son's lack of judgement and even sighed like he was about to say say exactly that, when, from out of sight, Severus leaped as high as he could and clambered up his father's back.

"What the-" Tobias groped blindly behind him as Severus's long arms tried to pry their way in between his chin and chest, ready to snuff out his air supply as Tobias had done to him on so many occasions in the past. Severus's hands were clasped together in front of Tobias and he was trying desperately to wriggle out of reach of his father's flailing arms at the same time.

Encouraged by his unexpected success, Severus tried to squeeze his arms as tight as he could manage, around his target. Tobias's large hands reached up simultaneously and grabbed both of Severus's coat sleeves in his fists. In one fluid motion he ducked his head and flung Severus right over top of it and flat onto his back with a sickening crunch.

All at once the lights flickered out of existence and once again he was left in the dark. The dark wasn't so bad. The dark he had grown accustomed to, but it was the sudden lack of oxygen that had him grasping at his throat in terrified panic, trying desperately to draw in air and finding his lungs unable to respond to his body's demands for air. He spluttered and coughed on the ground at his father's overlarge feet, turning over onto his side to recover from the assault on his central nervous system.

Heavy footsteps approached him, stopping right next to his ear. When he opened his eyes again he saw one muddy, thick heeled boot hovering right in front of his nose.

"Ah too bad boy," Tobias gloated as he stared down at his son's crumpled form with little pity in his voice. Tobias whipped around to Eileen who had not ceased her shouting since Severus had come home. "You see that there, Eileen? He ain't got one over on his ole' man yet! Guess he ain't no man after all."

"Oh God Tobi, what did you do!?" Eileen gasped out, her face was blotchy and red and her face was such a mess of sweat, blood, tears and mucus that she looked soaked to the skin, her hair standing out in a messy rats nest of contradiction to the usual, carefully tamed, dark tresses.

"Bed Eileen!" Tobias commanded as he shifted towards her once again, ready to claim his prize. As he turned towards her, however, his feet locked and he stumbled, and his heavy build mixed with his current state of drunkenness was enough to send the troll plummeting heavily to the ground.

As he sailed through empty space his jaw collided painfully with a rogue chair that had innocently found itself in the middle of the turmoil, his jaw slamming together forcefully with a clack of teeth as though, it too, was sick of Tobias running his mouth. He hit the floor with a heavy and loud crash that vibrated throughout the entire house.

Tobias howled with rage and frustration and whipped himself around from his spot on the floor. Eileen intuitively snatched her skirts away from him, inching out of his way as he fell forward as though he were a disease. He spit grotesquely into the ground leaving a small trickle of blood at his lips to dribble down his chin.

Severus was behind him, still on the floor with his father's shoelace clasped tightly in his fist and a smug expression on his face.

"WHY YOU SNEAKY LITTLE SHIT!" Tobias thundered in raw, untamed fury. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT ONE, BOY!"

Tobias scrambled to his feet and thundered towards his son, pounding all of his weight into the floor as he rushed him in unmasked animosity. Tobias grabbed a fistful of Severus's shirt and heaved him up off the floor as close to his face as possible. Severus hung from his father's grasp in near suspension, but for his toes which barely dragged against the ground in a futile attempt to steady himself from swinging haphazardly back and forth. Without saying anything, Tobias's fist slammed into Severus's face in a lightning quick jab. First one, then another, and another, in rapid succession.

One.

 _The darkness was back._

Two.

 _Stars swam into view behind closed eyes._

Three.

 _The world turned upside down and he felt dizzy._

Four.

 _He could taste the bitter metallic sting of blood in the back of his throat._

Five.

 _Blood flowed freely now, threatening to flood out his throat and nostrils._

Six never came. Eileen had hurled herself across the the room and thrown all of her weight onto one large beefy arm, hanging off of it like a human ragdoll to prevent him from hitting her son again. "TOBI STOP IT! STOP IT, YOU'LL KILL HIM!" she cried shrilly.

Tobias faltered, his senses returning to him as he finally realized the magnitude of his actions. He blinked stupidly at her and then back at Severus still dangling limply from his clenched fist. His expression darkened once more and he tossed the boy away from him. Severus hit the ground with a heavy thud. "Don' you dare come home after me again boy, ya hear?" Tobias growled. "Less I'll make you sleep outside, damned if I don't,"

Tobias swung back around and eyed his wife who was still clutching onto his arm as though her life depended on it. His arm wrapped around her waist automatically and pulled her tight against his hip as he headed towards their bedroom his eyes empty and his expression dangerous. Eileen looked meaningfully back at her son, who was still smeared across the floor, wiping at the flow of blood currently gushing from his nose.

She looked pained and apologetic and though Severus's head was still swimming with dizziness and his eyes were unfocused, he could tell her expression was telling him not to worry, she would be alright. She could deal with Tobias. With that, she disappeared behind the door.

Severus continued to gawk at the space where she vanished until he heard the unmistakable click of the latch behind her.

And he was left alone.

* * *

The next morning dawned as normal as ever. The sun was shining brightly in an ocean of blue and white and the birds were chirping happily as they bathed themselves in the decorative basins of cool water gifted to them by generous strangers. As far as the day could tell, nothing awful had happened at all, nor ever had before. But in the cramped and dingy attic of the Snape household, the discrepancy of that statement stirred himself awake.

Severus was uncomfortably plugged and stuffed from the dried blood that had caked itself to the inside of his nose and mouth. He had taken a long time to get to bed, as it had been hard to stunt the insistent jet of blood oozing from his injured nose. His back and face were aching and the added issue of pain kept him awake and alert for long into the night. Wincing, he got up from his mattress and slowly dressed, afraid of what the repercussions of time had done to his appearance.

It seemed Severus had overslept. The sun was much too high in the sky for his usual routine. At this hour, it was safe to assume that Tobias had already left for work and he was free to wander about the house as he wished without consequence. That in mind, he carelessly made up the bed before heading down the narrow staircase for breakfast.

Eileen sat at the wooden table, hunched over a large cup of tea. She looked terrible. She had dark circles under her eyes and the lip that had broken open the night before had crusted over and swelled giving it a slight pout on one side. She looked up when Severus entered the kitchen and, offering a wan smile, got up from the table to get him something to eat. There was a sealed cream colored envelope resting in the center of the table with a bright crimson wax seal that was addressed in green ink.

"H-how did you sleep?" his mother's voice was dry, like a forced whisper and even as she spoke it trembled. Severus expected she may have lost her voice from all the yelling she did the night before, really it wouldn't have been an unreasonable assumption, but he said nothing. Instead he shrugged his shoulders and sat down at the table refusing to meet her eye. "Your letter arrived this morning," she continued strenuously, attempting to keep things as light as possible as she set a plate of toast in front of him alongside a small jar of preserves. Severus glanced at the envelope on the table and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms resentfully in front of him.

Eileen sighed heavily, "Sev, I-"

There was a sudden burst of bright green flame that shot out from the fireplace, causing Severus to jump. Eileen let out a small squeak of fright as she straightened up in alarm and stepped in front of Severus's chair, blocking him from view.

"Is anyone home? Eileen? Are you there?" A disembodied voice called from inside the floo.

Severus's mouth gaped open in bewilderment. They had never been hooked up to the floo network before! Tobias would never allow it. Severus had only ever read about it in his mother's books and it was possible she may have mentioned it once or twice before in passing...but never had he the chance to witness it first hand.

"Vesta?" Eileen called cautiously. "How did you-"

"Wait, I'm coming through. I can't understand a word you're saying." the voice shouted back.

Eileen exchanged a confused glance with her son, but even then she never budged. The flames brightened briefly and a middle-aged witch came spinning into view, stepping out of the fireplace and dusting off her emerald robes with the flat of her gloved hand. She had a narrow pointed face and eyes that curved inwards at the inside corner ever so slightly, giving her an exotic appearance that Severus supposed could be considered attractive. Her black hair was loose around her shoulders and was perfectly straight with a glossy sheen that framed her porcelain skin. The woman coughed momentarily before straightening herself up, and took an arbitrary glance around the room, tucking her clutch firmly under one arm. Her nose wrinkled in distaste and the corners of her mouth pulled into a frown as she scanned her surroundings.

"Vesta! What are you doin' here? How did you get us connected to the Floo Network?" Eileen questioned in astonishment. She rushed forward and gave the other witch a fleeting hug before stepping back and ogling at her in utter amazement.

The witch waved a hand dismissively and chuckled "Oh it wasn't a problem. I called in a favor with a friend of mine who works at the Department of Magical Transportation at the Ministry. It wasn't but an hour before it was all carried out and in order. Anything for you Vesta, he says-" Vesta cut off her explanation suddenly as though only just noticing Eileen was there. "Sweet Merlin Eileen! What happened to you?"

Eileen's fingers passed spontaneously over her lip. "Oh...It's really nothin' Vesta, just an accident-" Severus snorted in mock amusement. Eileen fixed him with an icy glare, warning him to keep his mouth shut.

Vesta's gaze wandered down to Severus still sitting at the table and her eyes grew round with recognition. "Oh Eileen! This can't be my nephew can it? Is this little Severus? I can't believe it, he's just so grown up!" Vesta crouched down next to Severus and held out her black gloved hand, which he shook awkwardly. "Severus, I'm your Aunt Vesta," she said kindly. She hardly left him a chance to answer before she whipped around excitedly and said "He's a shy one, isn't he? Why do you let him keep his hair so long Eileen, I can hardly see the boy. Here Severus, come, let me get a good look at you." She pulled him up out of his chair by the hand she was still shaking.

Vesta let out a startled yelp and clapped a hand over her mouth as Severus peeked up at her, his long hair swaying back to reveal his face. Severus's usual pale skin was studded with ugly purple bruises that clashed horribly with his fair complexion. His eye was swollen and heavy lidded and a thin cut brandished itself across the bridge of his nose which was clotted and scabbed over. "Good heavens child! What on earth happened to you!?" Vesta exclaimed breathlessly.

"I suppose...it was an accident." Severus replied scornfully, meeting his mother's eye. "Was that it, Mum?"

Vesta swung around and threw Eileen a look that could petrify a basilisk. "Eileen! How could you let this happen!? He's just a boy! He's your son! It was that horrible Muggle man, what's-his-name, wasn't it?" without waiting for an answer she turned angrily back to Severus and drew her wand. "Now I'm no expert at healing spells dear, but I do know a thing or two. I am a mother after all- No, no don't fuss, let me see it, I'll sort you out," she smiled at him reassuringly.

Murmuring under her breath she began waving her wand around Severus's injuries, concentrating on the deep plum colored bruising and the cut on his nose. Severus felt his face prickle with the consistent flow of magic against his skin, but restrained from reaching up and scratching while she worked. By the time she finished the spell, the bruising had receded significantly and what remained faded to a splotchy red or a pale blue at its worst. Both the cut and the swelling over his eye had vanished entirely, and the pain had thankfully subsided to just a dull throb rather than the constant tender ache it had been.

Vesta tutted, "I'm afraid that's the best I can do, lamb," she crooned apologetically. She got to her feet and turned to face Eileen. "He's been beaten black and blue," she scolded accusingly, one hand coming to rest protectively on Severus's shoulder. "How could you? Did you do nothing?" Eileen looked tormented and bewildered all at once as she stood, twisting uncomfortably, under her sister's penetrating glare. The reality of her only son's suffering crashed down on her full force, swelling to an ugly truth she could no longer pretend to ignore.

"What are you doin' here, Vesta?" Eileen said softly. "Ain't it against the rules to even be talkin' to me?" Her voice was laden with guilt and self pity. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and exhaustion and she pinched the bridge of her nose wearily as she waited for a reply.

"I've come to see if you won't reconsider our offer," Vesta replied smoothly as though unaffected by her sister's self loathing. "Lucia and Alder got their letters yesterday. I knew Severus's would be along soon as well. On Salazar's grave, I never expected to find such a mess." There was a heavy undertone of prosecution to her words. "Weigh your options carefully Eileen. It would do you well to think of Severus."

"I am always thinkin' about Severus," Eileen said, her patience wavering. "What about father? You got him to agree to this too then, did you?"

Vesta snorted, "Agree to it? It was his idea! We never sentenced you to exile, Eileen, if you'll recall. You turned your back on us when you chose that Muggle over your own flesh and blood. A habit I see you've failed to outgrow," she said pointedly, eyeing her nephew. "Severus has magical blood, he deserves to be with his own kind. Release him and I promise you he'll be safe. We'll take care of him. I'll take him as one of my own, it's Lucia's first year at Hogwarts too, they can look out for each other."

"A boy need be with his father. With his family." Eileen hissed acidly.

"We _are_ his family, Eileen," Vesta argued pointedly. "You let that Muggle lay his hands on you. So be it. You only have yourself to answer to for that. But to allow the same of Severus...Well...now you've gone too far."

"You can't come waltzing in here and pretend like you know my life, Vesta. You and the rest of the family haven't talked to me in years! You stand there bein' all self righteous and...superior! But you don't know nothin'."

Vesta sighed sadly, "How long are you going to keep telling yourself the same lies, Eileen? Look around you. Is this how Muggles live? Look at yourself, hell, look at your son! Nobody deserves to live like this. I suppose if you insist on living like a neanderthal, I can't stop you or force you to see sense. At least release Severus."

Severus had jumped to his feet eagerly. "I want to go," he stated bluntly. Eileen looked like his words had physically pained her. Her expression was one of deep remorse and she turned agonized eyes to look into her little boy's face. Her gaze flicked over the angry blotches that Vesta's healing spell failed to dissolve, and she swallowed back heavy tears.

"There now, see? Vesta said as if that resolved the matter. "Go pack your things Severus, and we'll be off in two flicks of a snake's tongue." Severus turned to head back up the narrow staircase to his attic bedroom when Eileen fluidly stepped in front of him, blocking his path, her hurt replaced by an irrational anger.

"You're not goin' Sev. That's that," Eileen said strictly. "And as for you-" she turned on the witch still standing in her kitchen and pointed a trembling finger at her in outraged defiance. "How dare you come to my house, uninvited, and make all sorts of accusations an' assumptions you know nothin' about! How dare you try an' steal my only son away from me after insultin' me and my husband! You're not welcome in my house! Get out! And for the love of God Vesta if I ain't disconnected from the floo by tonight, I'll come through that fireplace an' wear your guts for garters!"

Vesta's expression grew dark and pompous as she swiped at her sister's wagging finger. "Don't point those filthy hooks at me, Eileen!" she snapped irritably. "You've always been the selfish one. You won't even put away your pride long enough to consider how this decision affects Severus. Just when I thought my opinion of you could sink no lower, but you continue to shock me with your impudence. I _never_ thought I'd see the day when a mother would put herself before the welfare of her only child."

"GET OUT!" Eileen shouted furiously.

Vesta crouched down and gave Severus a sorrowful look before wrapping him briefly in her arms and whispering, "I'm sorry, lamb" in his ear. She straightened up and fluffed out her robes marching pointedly back to the floo, her nose in the air. With one more disdainful look at Eileen she threw a handful of black powder into the grate and stood back as a jet of green flame came shooting out of it. "You're making a grave mistake, Eileen," Vesta said mournfully as she stepped into the roaring flames. With one final blaze of glaring jade, she was gone.

"The gall-" Eileen muttered to herself in disgust. She turned to look at her young son who was no longer there. Her head swiveled around, scanning the room until she had eyes on him once more. "Sev-" she began quietly. "Sit down, let's talk about this." Severus snatched up the cream colored envelope on the table and stuffed it haphazardly into his coat pocket.

"There's nothing to talk about," he said carefully.

"Severus, I'd like to talk to you," Eileen replied sternly.

"There are things I want too, Mum," Severus replied as he crossed to the front door. "Clearly we don't always get what we want though, do we?" And with that he had gone, slamming the heavy wooden door shut behind him.

 **A/N: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, it took a long while to sort out. It went through more editing than you probably realize. I hope it's up to standard. Thanks for reading!**

 ***Minor Re-editing***


	10. Chapter 10: Lily

Chapter 10: Lily

When Lily opened her eyes again, she was staring at her nightstand, and the perfect, yellow lily that remained undisturbed under her water pitcher made bright, yellow crystalline patterns dance across her wall in the gleam of daybreak. The dancing radiance, though pretty, was far too glaring this early in the morning. Lily groaned deep in her throat and rolled over onto her back, shielding her eyes from the offending brilliance with the palm of her hand. Next time, she would have to remember to draw the curtains _before_ turning in for the night. A shadow passed across her window fleetingly, casting the room back into a comfortable darkness, though it passed far too quickly to allow Lily to settle back into her drowsy encampment of pillows and blankets.

She kicked out with her feet several times, pushing the comforter further down her body, a bit at a time, with each kick, until she was free of their soothing embrace. She rolled herself towards the edge of the mattress until she all but fell out of bed, supporting herself on one shaky arm to keep herself from having a face first collision with the carpet. Standing upright, she staggered her way blindly to the window with heavy footsteps, her hair a tangled rats nest piled wildly on top of her head. She would sooner withdraw to her burrow of blankets than deal with this glaring monstrosity so bloody early in the goddamned morning, but if she wanted any sort of relief, forward and onward it must be, until the sickening brilliance was snuffed out; or at least faded to a less offensive morning haze.

With a handful of drape clasped in each fist, Lily made to draw them closed in one fluid motion and cut them off at the source, but instead, found herself looking out to meet the morning head on (so to speak.)

The sun was brilliant, as it's commonly known to be, and everything looked fresh and well rested as though the whole Earth had woken simultaneously _with_ her. Little diamonds of dew twinkled merrily away, glinting to remind her they were there and catching the light from many different angles that lit up the whole yard. Birds twittered happily in the distance and a handsome gray tabby cat could be seen walking silkily up the road, tail twitching.

Half-awed and half-annoyed that she wouldn't be going back to bed after all, Lily cracked the window open instead to allow the crisp sun soaked air to permeate the room. With a sigh of defeat and one last lust-filled look at the mattress, she dressed and headed downstairs to deal with her stomach's mutinous war cries.

Lily collapsed into the nearest chair beside Petunia and, without speaking, pulled the mountain of toast towards her, grabbing a thick slice and tearing into it ravenously. Petunia rolled her eyes but didn't say anything either as she sipped her tea, doing her best to ignore her younger sister _and_ her sister's bad manners. The smell of scrambled eggs and crackling bacon wafted from the kitchen and made Lily's stomach growl impatiently as she swallowed back yet another slice of buttered toast in an attempt to stunt her voracious hunger.

"It's about time you decided to show up," Petunia whispered haughtily, breaking the silence and taking another loud sip of tea. "What's the problem Lily? Late night?" she hinted with a nasty smirk. Lily glowered at her and opened her mouth to reply when a loud shriek came from the kitchen.

"Andrew! Do something! For the love of-" Mrs. Evans let out another high pitched squeal as something clanged together loudly, followed by a great deal of frantic rustling that could be heard from the next room. Lily jumped to her feet and ran to the kitchen leaving behind a bewildered looking Petunia who sat transfixed and wide-eyed, clutching her chest in surprise.

"Mum!" Lily called in alarm. "Mum! Is everything al-" The words died in her throat as she turned the corner. She had come upon one of the most bizarre looking scenes she had ever witnessed. Mrs. Evans was on the floor shielding her head as though expecting a bomb to drop at any moment, while Mr. Evans had acquired a pair of oven mitts and was attempting to corner a large tawny owl that was desperately avoiding capture. Every once in awhile it would fly wildly about the room, crashing into things with it's large outstretched wings to avoid the grasp of the dreadful padded mitts. Behind them the curtains floated airily from the breeze that drifted through the open window. Lily clapped a hand over her mouth to hide the smile that invaded her lips.

"Andrew, PLEASE!"

"How did it get in here?" Mr. Evans grunted as he made another lunge for the owl, narrowly missing it's heavy taloned feet. The owl flew out of his grasp and crashed clumsily onto the countertop, hooting angrily. From the sound of it, the owl wasn't too thrilled with the way the Evans greeted house guests, and it had half a mind to tell them so.

"Dad!" Lily tried to interject loudly.

There was a third throaty scream from Mrs. Evans as the owl took off again, brushing the side of her face with one of its feathered wings innocently as it passed.

"Dad!-"

"Alright, you overgrown feather duster, that does it. I'm through playing games! Get out! Get out! Get out of my kitchen!" Mr. Evans shouted angrily. Mrs. Evans was now face-down on the floor, pressing herself firmly into the kitchen tile to get as low as possible and desperately wiping at her cheek as though a single touch of a feather could somehow reep something contagious.

"DAD, STOP!"

As though just noticing she was there, the owl blinked slowly and fixed it's large amber eyes on Lily. Taking flight, it dove straight towards her and, in a moment of surprise, Lily ducked as the owl flew right over her head and landed on the table in front of Petunia, who screeched and toppled her chair over backwards in an attempt to get away.

Her parents came barreling in after the owl, but Lily held out her hands urgently in a gesture of restraint.

"No! Wait! He's got a letter!" she shouted excitedly. The pair of harassed looking parents froze in place, Mr. Evans now brandishing a frying pan in his gloved hands, the floral patterns sticking out awkwardly in the otherwise tasteful dining room. Mrs. Evans hair was in a frazzled state of disarray, while her face was flushed a bright crimson red.

Lily approached the owl carefully. As she swept closer, the owl stuck out it's leg obediently for her to retrieve the letter. It looked deeply annoyed and hooted indignantly as Lily worked to untie the letter, as though scolding her for the gross mistreatment it was forced to endure. She stroked the feathers delicately in appreciation and offered the owl the other half of her toast. The owl accepted it gratefully, but made no effort to be delicate about it. As he took the toast in his beak, he nipped at Lily's fingers angrily in the process.

"Ouch," Lily muttered, shaking her hand. "I guess we deserve that. I'm sorry about that," Lily nodded towards her parents who were still standing frozen in the doorway. "They aren't used to having owls fly in the house to deliver the post." she explained apologetically. With a final hoot the owl took off, knocking over the salt and pepper shakers on it's way and flying back out the open window, cuffing Mr. Evans round the neck as it flew by.

"What in the bloody hell was that all about!?" Mr. Evans roared angrily, rubbing at his neck.

"Andrew!" Mrs. Evans scolded, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. "The girls!"

"Right, right- Sorry Camelia, dear, but this is madness-"

Lily looked down at the cream coloured envelope in her hands addressed in emerald ink:

 _Miss L. Evans_

 _The window over the roof_

 _94 Rosland RD_

 _Cokeworth, England_

"It's addressed to me!" she exclaimed happily. "It really is! And it really came by owl!" Lily was waving the letter in the air and dancing on the spot. Mr. and Mrs. Evans exchanged a look.

"Well? Go on. What's it say?" Mr. Evans encouraged his daughter, still holding the frying pan stiffly in his outstretched hands. Lily tore open the crimson wax seal with trembling fingers and unfolded the letter. Petunia had righted her chair and sat stiff lipped and unnoticed, both hands flat against the table top.

"Dear Miss. Evans," Lily read aloud. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

"What? Hogwarts? What's Hogwarts?" Mrs. Evans asked, her nose wrinkling in confusion.

"Well, I'd like to say it's a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry" Mr. Evans replied, not unkindly.

Lily chuckled. "A school of Magic!" she exclaimed happily. "And I'll get to go! Oh please say I can go! Please, please, please!" she begged her parents, hopping on the spot in excitement. Mr. Evans held out his hand for the letter, passing Camelia the frying pan as he did and then, realizing he still had on oven mitts, shrugging them off his hands irritably. Lily placed the letter in his outstretched palm, still dancing on tip-toes as he scanned the letter.

"Look at this Camelia, do you think it's some sort of joke?" Mr. Evans asked in disbelief as he handed the letter off to Mrs. Evans.

"If it is someone went through an awful lot of trouble for a laugh," she insisted. "The letter was delivered by a bleeding owl!" she said as she too scanned the letter.

"So I can go, can't I? Oh please, please, please! I won't ask for anything else in my whole life!"

"Now hold on there. Lily, settle down now-" Mr. Evans replied, placing his hands on his daughter's shoulders gently to stop her from vibrating through the floor. His eyes caught hold of the clock on the wall. "Oh no! I'm going to be late!" He exclaimed desperately. "Listen Lily, we'll have to discuss this further when I come home from work." Lily looked crestfallen. "Camelia, dear!"

Mrs. Evans had disappeared into the kitchen, discarding mitts and pan and grabbing a brown paper bag that contained her husband's lunch. Hurriedly she thrust it into his hands as he shrugged into his jacket and hastily fastened up one or two misaligned buttons. He grabbed his wife and children as he passed and gave them hurried hugs goodbye as he swept up his briefcase and threw open the front door.

"Love you girls! Lily, I promise we'll talk when I get home!" he called behind him. There were some muffled sounding goodbyes and shouted 'I love yous' from inside the house as Mr. Evans rushed out the door, where he collided unexpectedly with something very solid. He crashed to the ground bringing whatever stood in his way down with him in a flurry of chartreuse fabric. Groaning, Mr. Evans sat himself upright and opened his eyes to see what he had bumped into.

"Really, Mr. Evans!" An accented and stern sounding voice said in disgruntled dismay. "I should think you the sense to at least watch where you're going! Especially if you insist on going about it like a charlatan." A stern looking woman with a tight bun and squared spectacles had rose to her feet and was dusting off her clothes. She had only just righted her overly large feathered hat when Lily's face appeared at the door. "Ah, you must be Lily!" she exclaimed kindly, stepping over Mr. Evans and shaking her hand gently. "Oh and Mr. Evans do come in, we have some important matters to discuss concerning your daughter."

Mr. Evans, who had just picked himself up off the stoop and was straightening his jacket, looked back at the woman in disbelief.

"Wha-? Who are you? What's all this about?" he asked hotly.

"Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." the witch replied with a stiff bow.

"Oh, right. Look Mrs. McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwash School of- thing, I don't mean to be rude, but I really am in a rush. I'm running late for work, you see. Perhaps we could schedule an appropriate time later this week." Mr. Evans replied crisply, glancing down at his watch.

"This will only take a moment." McGonagall insisted, guiding him back into the house.

"I can't afford to be late! I'm going in for a promotion-"

"Calm yourself Mr. Evans, I will get you to work on time, I guarantee it. I really must insist. This is a very serious matter regarding your daughter's future. Surely you must have time for _that_." Professor McGonagall fixed him with a steely gaze.

Mr. Evans looked unconvinced that somehow, by some miracle, this odd looking woman was going to get him to work on time, but he relented anyhow and allowed himself to be steered back into the house he had just left. Mrs. Evans came to the door to check on all the commotion.

"Andrew? I thought you were running late- Oh, hello," Mrs. Evans said in mild surprise at the third person standing in her entryway. She approached the woman with an outstretched hand. "Camelia Evans."

"Professor Minerva McGonagall," the woman returned, taking the proffered hand and shaking it firmly. "Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"How do you do Mrs. McGonagall," Mrs. Evans said respectfully.

"Minerva, please," the woman said waving a hand dismissively at the formality.

"Minerva," Mrs. Evans repeated smiling. "Could I interest you in a cup of tea or a spot of breakfast?"

"Just tea, if you please Camelia," McGonagall replied smoothly, walking in and settling herself down on the sofa. Mrs. Evans nodded and disappeared once more into the kitchen returning with a tray of tea, a bowl of sugar cubes and some heavy cream. A few biscuits were also placed neatly on a separate plate beside the tea.

Professor McGonagall poured as much cream into her cup as it could hold and stirred, the china clinking away delicately, the sugar left untouched. Settling back in her seat she took a deep swig and eyed the Evans who were all watching her curiously. Lily had parked herself right beside Professor McGonagall, grinning widely up at her while Mr. and Mrs. Evans sat on the little loveseat by the window. Petunia, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Noticing the others from over her cup and realizing that they had all been staring in silence for some time, McGonagall took another hefty gulp of tea and, lowering it, smiled at them all. "Thank-you Camelia, dear, the tea is delicious," she said replacing the cup in its saucer and setting it on the little table in front of her. "Now I trust you all had a chance to read the letter."

They all exchanged uncomfortable glances with one another, remembering the chaos of the tawny owl's visit only moments before McGonagall arrived.

"Er- yes well, skimmed over it, more like," Mr. Evans admitted. Professor McGonagall looked appalled.

"Skimmed?" she replied strictly. "Something as important as this?"

Mrs. Evans interjected. "We had some trouble with the- owl- that delivered it," she explained politely. Professor McGonagall looked confused, looking first from one face to the next.

"Trouble? How so? He found the correct address, did he not? He gave the letter to the intended addressee?"

"Yes-" Mrs. Evans replied slowly. "He did, but-"

"But we weren't expecting to have a wild animal fly in through our kitchen window and deliver a letter," Mr. Evans finished for her.

"Nonsense," McGonagall waved her hand again. "There's nothing wild about post owls. They take their jobs quite seriously." She took another sip of tea. "If you had read the letter thoroughly-" she eyed Mr. Evans pointedly. "-then you'll have known that your daughter, Lily, has a place at the finest wizarding school in Britain-"

"Yes, but-"

"You will also have known," McGonagall continued loudly over the interruption "That term starts the 1st September and you'll need to acquire all of her school things from Diagon Alley before the train leaves from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at precisely 11:00 A.M. There's a list of provisions included with the acceptance letter," McGonagall added briefly.

"Quite right," Mr. Evans agreed, his irritation growing. "But the thing is, Mrs. McGonagall, why is my youngest daughter being recruited to a school that teaches witchcraft? It's all a little too _fantastical_ for my liking."

McGonagall's eyes grew round and she chuckled nervously. "It seems I've gotten a bit ahead of myself. Forgive me Mr. and Mrs. Evans, when you've seen as many Muggle parents as I have it all begins to blur into one. You forget you're talking to Muggles who don't know-"

And she launched into her usual, obviously rehearsed, speech about how magic was real and their youngest daughter had magical blood in her veins that allowed her to do the kinds of things they only read about in fairytales. The further along she got in her speech, the wider the Evans' eyes grew until they were as big as saucers. When she had finished, both parents were white as ghosts, and looked as though the news had physically exhausted the lot of them.

McGonagall, who was clearly used to this sort of behavior, took up her cup and had another sip of tea while she waited for the information to be absorbed by Andrew and Camelia Evans. Lily on the other hand, couldn't help but grin from ear to ear with excitement, and every now and again she breathed a weighty 'wow' under her breath.

"Say I can go! Please Mum! Please Dad!" Lily exclaimed suddenly as though she couldn't wait any longer in the deafening silence. Professor McGonagall smiled fondly at Lily and stood up from the sofa.

"It really is the best thing you can do for your daughter Mr. and Mrs. Evans," McGonagall goaded gently. "It is essential that the young lass be amongst her own kind, to learn about her world. It's the finest establishment one could ask for. Young witches and wizards need to learn how to control their magical abilities. I'll send along further instructions for Diagon Alley and the school platform along with Lily's train ticket. I'll be in touch," she assured them both warmly. Glancing at the clock on the wall she added hurriedly. "Mr. Evans, we must be getting along! Come now, quickly!"

Mr. Evans stood up in stunned silence as McGonagall pushed him along and rushed him outside the door. She snaked one arm through his, as though he were about to escort her someplace classy and, with her spectacles glinting mysteriously in the daylight, she waved to Lily and Mrs. Evans who stood perched on the front step and disappeared on the spot with a loud **crack,** taking all trace of Mr. Evans along with her. Camelia Evans fainted.

* * *

Lily could hardly believe it! She finally got her letter for Hogwarts! And it came just as Severus said it would, owl and all. Her parent's handled it better than she was expecting, honestly, and once Lily had successfully revived Mrs. Evans with a cold cloth clamped against her forehead it didn't take long for her to agree to let Lily attend. Lily was so excited she couldn't hold still, she kept re-reading the acceptance letter and stared in amazement at the list of school supplies she'd be needing to attend classes, all the while pacing frantic circles around her room. She needed to find Severus and share the news! Besides, if she got her letter, it was more than likely that he got his too, and she couldn't wait to compare.

Lily ran a brush through her wild tresses and tied it back in a loose pony. She knew she would end up running and she didn't want her hair to get in her way and slow her down. Satisfied, she raced to the front door and called out into the whole of the house.

"Mum! I'm going out! I'll be back later!"

A distant voice sounded from somewhere upstairs in eerie, echoey response.

"Don't forget curfew!" the voice said curtly.

"I won't! I promise! Love you!"

And with that, Lily flew through the open door, letting it slam shut behind her and jumping the steps of her front stoop before racing her way up the street. She desperately wanted to find Severus and share in the good news.

Naturally she tried Pine Peak first, but when that yielded disappointing results she only knew of one other place she should try next. If he wasn't by the river then she was out of ideas, she already passed the playground on her way to Pine Peak and it was just as Severus-less and empty as Pine Peak was now. She was out of breath from running so much, so to recharge she was speed-walking through the familiar trail that would lead her out of the trees and into the open field that lay by the water.

Once clear of the trees she looked hopefully towards the river bank, and the small thicket they had parked themselves under just a few days before. The trees were vacant, and her heart sunk deep in her chest in bitter disappointment. Her eyes scanned the terrain for any sign of a scrawny wizard boy, and just when she was about to give in and go home, she saw a dark shadow cast against the river. Her heart jumped back to life when she saw it, and she dared hope that it was him, though from this distance it didn't look like a person.

 _But it could be-_

Lily began to speed towards the bank and towards the darkened blotch on the grass. As she drew nearer, she recognized it for what it was. Severus. Though he was hunched over in a tight wad of flesh. His knees were brought up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them tightly, his head down, resting against both knees and arms, as though he were trying to make himself as small as possible. Lily smiled and broke out into a run.

"Sev!" She called excitedly as she sprinted towards the figure on the bank. The shadow never stirred. "Sev!" she called again, brandishing her letter in the air and waving it about with a flourish as she continued towards him. She closed the distance between them until she was right up beside the scrunched up ball that was her best friend. Lily keeled over panting and trying to catch her breath. "Sev! I got it! I got my letter! You wouldn't believe what happened! The owl, it flew in through the kitchen window, and oh God, my parents, you should have seen them-" Lily cut herself off noticing how unnaturally unresponsive Severus was.

Something was wrong.

Remembering the last time she saw him and the circumstances around it, a sudden fear slipped up her spine until her sweat turned cold against her skin.

"Sev," she tried again more gently. "Are you alright? Did something happen?" She settled herself next to him, so close their arms touched, and there she waited for an answer. Underneath her touch, the hunched pile of flesh and cloth stirred and turned its deadened gaze over, until obsidian eyes met green. Lily took in the faded blotches of red that had taken residence against the smooth pale skin of his face and was hit with an overwhelming sense of guilt.

 _He did it. His dad hit him. It's all my fault._

When Severus still refused to say anything but instead returned to his initial position, Lily leaned into him and rested her head against one bony shoulder, trying to comfort him the only way she knew how. If he didn't want to talk, well, that was just fine with her. They could just sit here on the bank and simply be. She would stay here with him for as long as he needed her to, or until he told her to leave. Whichever came first.

When some time had passed and there was nothing but the occasional rise and fall of Severus's shoulders as he let out large sighs of weighted breath, he raised his head and looked out across the water.

"My Aunt Vesta came to visit this morning-" Severus began in a disconnected and quiet sort of voice. Lily didn't dare interrupt him for fear he would close right back up and return to shutting her out. "I didn't even know I had an Aunt Vesta. My Mum- she doesn't have contact with her side," he explained shortly. "But she turned up. She turned up out of nowhere...and she asked- she asked me to come live with her."

Lily listened with rapt attention, removing her head from Severus's shoulder and turning to watch him attentively. "M-my Mum wouldn't let me go with her." Severus choked back a sob, his voice beginning to crack. "I- I was so close to getting out of here-" He broke down then. His shoulders shaking with the frantic sobs that came bursting through the careful restraint he always wore, and there he was, powerless to stop it.

Lily's mind worked out what that meant. That he could have been freed of his father's wrath and of Spinner's End and possibly even of poverty, if his Aunt Vesta was a well off sort of woman, and her heart shattered. She didn't know what to say. Knowing Severus to be a proud and secretive sort, she knew that anything she said to try and remedy the situation might unintentionally hurt his pride. She needed to get him thinking about other things. He needed a distraction from the harsh reality of his unwarranted life. Before she knew what she was even going to say, it left her lips in a surprisingly steady and casual tone of voice that was as natural as though she had planned on saying it all along.

"Fancy a swim?"

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter took a long while to get out. I ran into some writers block with it and then got hit by an ugly bout of depression that had me question whether or not I wanted to finish the story at all. Rest assured, with all remaining chapters briefly outlined I think it's safe to say I won't be abandoning it. Let me know what you think, if you have some time. It's nice to know if people are enjoying the story or not. As usual, thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11: Severus

Chapter 11: Severus

The world really did have a way of being cruel. At least, it did if Severus's experience had anything to say about it. He had been so close! So close to being spirited away and living a completely different life. An undoubtedly better life. Of course, virtually any life would be better than this one, he thought miserably. Very few could claim to have suffered what he did at such a ripe and tender age.

He was angry. Furious even. He felt helpless, and cheated and betrayed- but mostly he just felt broken. How could she have done this? How could she have seen the things she's seen and deny him his freedom? The beating he got from Tobias the night before was indeed painful, but somehow this was _so_ much worse. At least he never expected anything less from his father. This though- This hurt more than a thousand beatings put together, because he _did_ expect more from his mother…

The injustice of it all was what threatened to break his soul in two. He almost couldn't handle it. Almost. But of course, that was when Lily Evans came flitting to his side as though from nowhere. The anchor he so desperately needed. If he could only gather the energy to move…

A comforting weight pressed against his shoulder. He wasn't entirely sure what it was, but it was soothing. It was familiar. It was, of course, Lily Evans. He hadn't been expecting it, and more surprising still was the fact that he didn't shy away from it. Normally he didn't allow people to touch him. His experiences with human touch were largely...unpleasant, but this- this was something else entirely. He found he reveled in it. Such an odd and unpredictable reaction, he thought humorlessly. But it gave him the strength to move, if only a little.

Something inside him stirred then, and with it came the desire to verify his assumption. He turned his head so he could look upon her. When his velvet eyes fixed on hers, he felt himself relax a bit, but it wasn't enough. He needed time. Time to contemplate. Time to process. Time to mend. So he drew himself back. He didn't know if she would stay, but he secretly hoped she would. He could really use a friend.

Moments passed and he didn't know how long they sat like that, with her head on his shoulder and his head in his lap. Enveloped in darkness, and in silence. Somehow, Lily knew what he needed, and his affection for the girl grew substantially. He found the strength to draw breath. Soon, he found the strength to wake up.

Before he could stop himself, he was talking. Blabbing his business like a tired old hen, clucking away in the hen-house; telling her what happened. It was as if all his years of practiced restraint, his secrets, his careful planning, it all meant nothing. He forgot himself. Who he was. What he was trying to protect. But she was there, and he needed this. It was this, or risk breaking in two for real. Still, he was glad it was her...if it was anyone.

"My Aunt Vesta came to visit this morning-" He heard himself say, as though from far away.

 _Silence._

"I didn't even know I _had_ an Aunt Vesta," He carried on. "My Mum- she doesn't have contact with her side. But she turned up. She turned up out of nowhere...and she asked- she asked me to come live with her...M-my Mum wouldn't let me go with her-

He was overcome by the sensation of falling. Falling fast. Through emptiness. Through nothing. The weight of his words- the reality of them- made his emotions come crashing down on him all at once, but he was unprepared to burden them.

"I- I was so close to getting out of here-" he choked out, finally.

His body was overtaken with the dangerous sobs that came pouring out of him in thunderous waves, and he buried his face again, desperately trying to rein it all in. What Lily must think of him. He was a fool. His father was right. He was weak. Pathetic. A sissy. And here he was, breaking down in front of the one person he wanted to hide it from the most. Gods, it was unfair.

"Fancy a swim?"

"H-huh?" Severus was taken aback by the question, and he gaped at her in confusion as he tried to steady his erratic breathing. She wasn't looking at him, but rather out over the cool, glassy surface of the water.

"A swim," she repeated seriously. "The water looks nice. I bet it would feel good, too. It _is_ hot though, isn't it?" She stood up, eyeing him expectantly.

"L-Lily…" Severus stammered awkwardly. "I- err...don' have a suit. Neither d'you...I mean...you can't- ya wouldn' suggest- w-we ain't-" He felt white hot with embarrassment as he stumbled over his words and tried to wrap his head around her suggestion. So much so, that he forgot he was in the middle of a psychological meltdown.

"In our _clothes_ you dolt!" Lily replied quickly, turning a deep shade of red herself when she realized what he was thinking.

Severus relaxed noticeably and let out a heavy sigh of relief as he regained his composure. "O-of course. I nude...KNEW that." He groaned and dropped his face in his hands.

"Well, come on! Last one in is a rotten egg!" Lily giggled. She kicked her sandals at him playfully before she took off running toward the bank shrieking like a banshee. Severus blinked as he watched her, and then slowly followed suit.

First, he removed his blazer and folded it neatly, remembering the letter that was still in his pocket. He noticed another discarded piece of parchment sticking out pale against the grass where Lily sat only moments ago, and set the blazer on top of it to make sure it wouldn't blow away in the breeze. Next, he kicked off his shoes and set them beside his coat. And finally, he re-tied the rope that held up his trousers as tight as possible so they wouldn't slide off his skinny frame and float away in the water. Gods, that would be embarrassing, and just what he needed to top off this miserable day.

When Severus approached, Lily had already submerged herself completely and was splashing about in tight circles waiting for him.

"That was the worst race I've _ever_ run," she teased. "You took so long, I could have won a hundred times over." She splashed at him deviously. "What are you waiting for? Get in!"

"Well, _someone_ had to make sure you didn't lose track of _your_ things. I didn't know you still needed a _baby_ sitter." Severus mocked. Lily grinned and sunk deeper into the water as she glided smoothly toward Severus. "What are you doing Lily?"

"Nothing. It just looks to me like you need some help is all, and lucky for you I'm just the girl for the job."

Lily had snuck so close she was practically at Severus's feet. With lightning quick reflexes her hand shot out and grabbed him by the wrist, pulling it back with a mighty tug. Severus teetered on the bank, trying to maintain his balance, his free arm flailing bizarrely, before he tipped forward and crashed into the water with a splash. He resurfaced, spluttering and wiping his long, dark hair out of his eyes.

"You can thank me later," Lily grinned smugly.

"Oh, I think I'd rather thank you now," Severus replied as he dove after her.

Lily screamed and laughed, trying to swim away from her attacker, but Severus was in hot pursuit. His long arm caught hold of her ankle and he pulled her back towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around her and holding her fast against him. Lily wriggled and squirmed trying to break free from his embrace, but Severus's grip was too strong, even with all her frantic kicking.

"No! No! I'm sorry! Mercy!" Lily gasped, still laughing.

"I'm afraid I simply _must_ thank you properly, my lady," Severus said with mock politeness.

He smirked wickedly and threw himself backwards into the water, taking Lily with him and drenching them both in the icy shallows. They resurfaced gasping and laughing wildly.

The simple act of pulling Severus into the river transformed into a full-out water war, and they played away the afternoon, shrieking and plotting ways to get back at one another, each plot more extravagant than the last.

It started off innocently enough, with a well aimed squirt that flew from a clenched fist or from a widely directed splash, but the longer it went on, the more creative they both became.

Lily had taken to diving completely underneath the water and disappearing in the heat of open combat. When Severus lost sight of her, she would swim up and pull one of his feet out from under him, dragging him down until he was fully submerged in the waters below. Severus on the other hand, would call time-outs, and when they ceased fire he would hastily recall a time-in and full on tackle Lily when she got close enough, sending her plummeting backwards with a heavy splash.

Near the end of their game, they had reached an entirely new level of tactics. Lily would flee the water and take to the high ground, where she would let out a bellowing war cry and drop on Severus from above. Severus, remembering his defense lessons, resorted to wandless magic. He often cast silent _Impedimenta_ spells or a tripping jinx at exactly the right moment sending Lily cascading back into the water when her legs seemed to zig rather than zag. He wasn't always successful, but when he was it was immensely satisfying, and by the time the siege was nearly over, even he had to admit he'd gotten pretty good at it. Severus never would have kept on with it if Lily didn't find it absolutely hysterical.

The war drew to a close when Lily, in her own burst of accidental magic, sent a balloon-less water balloon plummeting toward Severus and hit him full in the face with it. It burst on impact, drenching him so bad his hair hung over his eyes like a wet mop.

By the time it was all said and done, Lily had declared herself the winner and promoted herself to Head Sergeant of her invisible armed forces. Severus knew that it was in fact he who emerged victorious, but he didn't bother to argue. He let her have her moment. It was only polite.

The two of them came marching out of the river and back to dry land. Their clothes clung to their bodies like a second skin and their limbs drooped with exertion, their bodies trembling from exposure, but they were in good spirits. They gathered their things, stuffing soaked feet into dry shoes and sloshed and squeaked their way back to Pine Peak, clothes still dripping, leaving dampened water trails behind them.

The first thing Lily did was grab one of the blankets still hanging limply from a nail on the inside of the fort. She clenched it tightly around herself, trembling violently as she dropped to the floor with it. Severus, seeing no reason to dampen a perfectly clean blanket, removed his letter from his jacket pocket and wrapped himself in his faded blue blazer. He was still so wet that the coat sprouted darkened blotches where it absorbed the excess moisture of his smock.

"So you got yours too then?" Lily said pointing at the letter in Severus's hands.

"Yeah. I guess- haven't opened it yet," he replied, flipping it over and showing Lily the shiny wax seal, still whole and unbroken.

"Aren't you going to?" she asked as though he had a choice.

Severus swallowed and turned the letter over in his hands. Carefully, he tore open the seal from the creamy envelope underneath it and unfolded the letter.

"Dear Mr. Snape," he began. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall. Deputy Headmistress."

"Haven't got an owl," Lily said with concern.

"Neither do we-" He noticed Lily's worried glance eying the letter eagerly, so he added: "It's alright. We can use the owlery when we go to Diagon Alley to get our school things."

Severus flicked over to the school equipment list and started reading it over solemnly. In his mind he assessed how many things they would need to buy that he didn't already have stashed away in the attic among his Mum's old school things. On paper it didn't look like much, but he knew that some of the things he required were on the more expensive side. How were they going to afford this? Tobias would never consent to spending this kind of money on Severus's schooling.

"It's quite a fascinating list," Lily said watching him. "Though I don't know what Diagon Alley is...or _where_ it is. The Deputy Headmistress said she'd leave instructions for my parents when she left."

"Oh right, your parents. Erm- how did they take it?"

Lily launched into a dramatic retelling of the story. About the owl and how it flew in through their kitchen window and her father's absurd attempts to capture the bird with oven mitts and a frying pan. Severus smiled appreciatively as he listened to her recount her version of events, reacting appropriately in all the right places, but his worry still weighed heavy in the back of his mind.

-and they said I could go! Well, Mum did, but I'm sure Dad won't have a problem with it."

"I told you you'd get the letter," Severus said as though there were ever any doubt.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them. Severus looked down at his blazer and toyed with some of the buttons for something to do, the wet blotches still spreading across his back and shoulders. Lily eyed him as though contemplating saying something. Her brow furrowed in deep concentration.

"I know what your dad did to you," she said suddenly. Severus's head snapped up and he shot her with a severe look.

"What-"

"I mean, I don't know _what_ he did to you exactly, but I know he hurt you," she said sadly poking at the ground and trailing a finger in the dirt.

He didn't know how he should react. He felt angry and confused. How did she find out? Was it so obvious? He thought he was being careful. Lily must have recognized she had reached dangerous territory, and hastily touched her face to mirror the markings left behind on Severus's porcelain skin. His hand shot up to touch the red and faded blue bruising still left behind after his Aunt's healing spell.

 _Shit._

He had forgotten about that, and come to think of it, he never checked his reflection before he left the house. He had been careless. He continued staring down at his buttons, determined not to look at her.

"It _was_ him wasn't it?" Lily prompted.

Severus nodded wordlessly, not seeing a way out of this. He could stun her and run away, but what good would it do? She'd still remember everything when she came round, and then he'd once again be friendless because he doubted she would ever forgive him for something like _that._ He needed her. She was the only thing keeping him sane. The only thing that gave him any sort of relief.

"I hate him," she said darkly.

"Yeah well, join the club" he replied automatically.

"Come live with me."

"What-"

"I mean it! Come to my house! My parents will take you in! We can take care of you!" Lily said, her excitement starting to swell.

"M-my Mum would never allow it-"

"So? Don't tell her. Just come over and don't go back!"

There was no way that this could be for real though, could it? Even if he managed to successfully run away from home, Lily's parents would still need to agree to having another child in their home. Somehow he doubted that they would be willing to let him stay...Then again, it would only be for a few more weeks. Once they were off to Hogwarts he could just stay there over the holidays and only impose on them over the summer break. His chest tightened with the dawning of hope- Lily still had him locked in a wild, hopeful stare.

"Do- do you really think-" He trailed off skeptically.

"I'll talk to my parents about it!" Lily exclaimed. "I'm sure I'll be able to talk them into it. They can't resist this face," she said with a cocky grin, gesturing to her face and batting her eyelashes.

Severus couldn't help but smile. He had been so afraid of Lily finding out about his father. Mostly because he didn't want her getting caught in the crossfire, but he supposed his pride had a little to do with it as well. It was something he was embarrassed to admit. He didn't want to look weak, or damaged and he certainly didn't have need of anyone's pity. Who knew that setting his pride aside for long enough to confide in another would be the key to his liberation. He had mixed feelings about Lily being the one to hear this confession. On the one hand, he couldn't think of a more adequate replacement...but on the other, it had been what he feared the most. Now that it was over with-

"Yeah, if it's alright!...I mean...don' wanna impose…"

"I'll talk to my parents tonight! I'm sure we can come up with something." Lily assured him feverishly. "It might take a couple days to set something up but-"

"It's perfect," Severus said earnestly. He leaned over passed the roof of Pine Peak to get a good look at the sky. It didn't look late enough for Tobias to be home yet, but he figured he better be going soon, just to be safe. "I should probably go," he informed Lily. "Don't want to get into any more trouble..."

They stood up from beneath the shelter. Lily threw herself at him unexpectedly and just held him there. The blanket that was still draped around her shoulders enveloped them both and kept the chill away from their soaked clothes. Severus, who hadn't been expecting this, stumbled backwards a little in alarm. When he realized what she was doing, his muscles relaxed a bit and he wrapped his arms around her in return, albeit a little more awkwardly.

"Tonight. I'll talk to them tonight," she promised softly in his ear, and with one more persistent squeeze Lily let go, and the two of them parted ways.

* * *

Severus's mind was a whirlwind of thought as he followed the begotten trail back to Spinner's End. A lot had happened today. He was exhausted both mentally and physically. To recap he had suffered a major disappointment when his Aunt Vesta showed up, followed by a bitter betrayal from his mother thereafter. He had to endure countless emotions that had him breaking down in front of the one person he promised himself he never would, and she in turn retaliated with a water fight _and_ a promise of protection...Combine that with the fact that she now knew of his secret torment- well, the submissive acceptance of his lot in life now lie in crumbled ruins all around him.

Gods he was tired, though. He needed a lie-in. The blazer had absorbed as much moisture as it was able, and in it's muggy state it was doing very little to keep him warm. He climbed his front step wearily, his shoes starting to squelch with the runoff of his still soaked trousers.

Very suddenly, the front door swung open wildly, and he found himself staring into the cold, black pits of Tobias's eyes. Severus blinked in surprise. He was overwhelmed with the sour scent of alcohol and his body froze on the spot, all time standing still in limitless suspension. Panic bubbled up inside him as he attempted to assess the situation.

 _What? No! You aren't supposed to be home yet! What in God's name are you doing here?_

"Well, well, well. Finally decided to slither on home did ya, boy?" Tobias goaded, leaning his heavy shoulder into the door frame which creaked threateningly beneath his weight. There was some hectic shuffling and then Eileen's hands appeared from behind one beefy arm, trying to wrench Tobias out of the way.

"Tobi! For fuck sakes he hasn't done nothing," she shouted angrily.

"Hasn't done nothin'? Christ, jus' look at 'im Eileen!" Tobias roared defiantly. "He's wetter than a mermaid's minge! I'll make 'im rue the day he came crawlin' out from between yer legs, woman. An' don' think for one second I have any problem makin' _you_ rue the day _you_ crawled outta yer mama's hole neither. I got plenty o' lessons to go around." He turned his attention back to Severus. "I thought I warned you, boy," he started in a low voice. "-to _never_ come home after me again." Tobias straightened, his eyes narrowing dangerously at the boy in front of him.

"Don't you _dare_ hurt him Tobi! You damn near killed him already!" Eileen shrieked, still trying to pull Tobias away from the door, but Tobias had run out of patience. He ripped his arm away from Eileen's pinching grasp and shoved her aside. Eileen stumbled backwards, but maintained her balance.

"Come at me again Eileen, an' I'll break every one o' those spindly lil' twigs you call fingers! See if I don't!" he shouted. Eileen glared at him resentfully but stayed where she was. He turned back again to face Severus. "Besides, I ain't gonna hurt him none," he said thoughtfully, stroking his chin with one enormous hand. "Though I can't very well go back on my word now, can I? A man always keeps 'is word. Ain't that right, boy?" He looked down at his son, and leaned into him, his hands on his knees as he met his dark eyes. "Ain't nothin' personal son, you understand? But you needs you some learnin'," he whispered with a stiff nod.

"So!" Tobias said as he stood up clapping his hands together for emphasis. "Because you decided to disrespect me an' my rules by comin' home late, you get to spend the rest o' the night here. In other words, yous won't be comin' home at all."

"Here? Here where?" Severus asked confused, his heart still hammering in his chest. Catching the dangerous look Tobias shot him with he added hastily, "Sir."

Looking satisfied with the correction, Tobias continued. "Outside, boy! With the wind in yer hair and nothin' but them stars to keep ya company. Ain't nothin' like a night in the dirt to put a little hair on yer chest."

"Tobi!" Eileen protested, horrified.

"Shut it Eileen!" He called back. "Tha's the price you pay fer disobeyin' yer Da."

Severus thought about it. As far as punishments go this one wasn't so bad. Sure, he was already freezing, but once Tobias had gone back inside he could just sneak back to Pine Peak. There were a couple of blankets and shelter there at least, and Severus's own thinning blanket wasn't nearly as thick or as cozy. He'd be willing to bet he'd spent colder nights in his own bed. Piece of cake, he thought.

"Oh, jus' one more thing, boy," Tobias piped up suddenly, interrupting his train of thought. Severus's heart gave a sickening lurch. "I'll be takin' them clothes back too," he held out his hand expectantly. A smile crept across his lips.

"M-my clothes?" Severus asked, mortified.

"Well, you don' and got them all wet, see? We needs to dry them up fer ya. Maybe then, you can appreciate what you got. So…" his fingers pulsed in rhythm, demanding the surrender of his sodden garments.

"M-mum?" Severus asked the panic rising to take hold of him completely.

"Tobi! He's just a boy! You can't do this!" Eileen roared in shocked outrage.

"I can do whatever needs doin'," he said to her with an icy glare. "Now. Strip," he commanded, his lips enunciating every sound and syllable of the ugly word.

Severus's eyes brimmed over with tears, and he slowly started unbuttoning his blazer, shrugging out of the dampened article, still warm from the heat of his body, and handed it over obediently. Immediately his skin broke out in goosebumps as his body reacted to the sudden change in temperature, and he began trembling, though he wasn't so sure that reaction was purely from the cold.

"Come on now boy, you can go faster than that."

His eyes bore into Tobias hatefully as he loosened the strings around the neck of his yellowing smock, and peeled it slowly off of his pale skin and over his head, placing it in his father's outstretched hand. He was shivering violently now. Last, came his trousers as he kicked off his shoes and untied the rope that held them. He let them fall to the ground with a heavy _whump_ and nervously stepped out of them giving up the remaining garment. He was left standing in nothing but his pants, his body instinctively collapsing into itself to ward off the offending chill. Still Tobias didn't move.

Severus waited, watching him tensely with bated breath. Only when Tobias's eyes flicked noticeably down his son's waist and at the wet pants did Severus understand what he was waiting for.

 _No…_

"Tobi, that's enough!" Eileen cried from inside, watching with tearful eyes as her son undressed. "He's gonna freeze to death!"

"Then he won' never do it again," Tobias replied calmly. "Now, son. Get on with it. Let that little worm wag free."

The tears finally started to flow as he thumbed the elastic of his pants in preparation to pull them off. He was hyper aware of both pairs of eyes on him. What he felt was beyond humiliation, beyond anything he ever felt before in his life. As he pulled them off and then handed them to his father he thought that he really would have preferred a beating. Nothing could have been worse than this.

Satisfied, Tobias gave a curt nod. "Tha's my boy," he said as he turned around and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Severus alone and naked on the front step.

There was some heated shouting and arguing that echoed from inside the house immediately after the door slammed shut. Severus tried to block it all out while he did what he could to protect his modesty. Attempting to conceal himself with his hands he stepped behind one of the larger shrubs by the stoop and sat down in the soil. He tried to fold himself as tightly as possible for warmth, but he wasn't sure he'd ever been more cold in his life. His body shook so violently he caught his tongue between his teeth a few times accidentally. His skin erupted in raised bumps as the wind assaulted his exposed skin and his jaw vibrated so vigorously he thought it would never stop.

Despite the fact that it was summer, he felt for certain that his mother was correct in assuming he would freeze to death out here. How ironic. He didn't have any fat on his bones to help keep him warm. He couldn't leave from behind this shrub and make a break for Pine Peak, not when he was so bare and vulnerable in his current state. Someone might see him, and he already so desperately wanted to die of shame. He couldn't stand it if someone should see him. As it was, he wasn't sure if he would make it through the night anyway…

Severus didn't know how long he lay crumpled and trembling with only a plant for protection. He was beginning to go numb and he found himself wishing that his mind would follow his body's example. It would be a relief to not think _or_ feel anything.

He heard the latch click and he whipped his head around to see Eileen silhouetted against the warm glow of the house. She pressed a finger against her lips in a gesture of silence and threw him the sheet from his bed. Severus caught it eagerly and wrapped it around himself as best he could. His mother waved him inside. Tears leaked from unblinking eyes as she guided him back inside the house.

 _Tobias must have fallen asleep._

When they were safely inside, Eileen wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding him against her. She began rubbing over the sheet briskly, over his arms and back and breathing hot breath over his hands, trying to breath life back into his cold skin. It was clear from the look on her face that she was filled with remorse at being unable to stop what had happened. She caught his eye and when she did, she whispered urgently:

"Did you do it Sev? Did it work?"

 **A/N: My Poor sweet Sev. Another chapter done.** **I have plans of things kind of picking up/escalating from here. Leave a review if you like the story.**


	12. Chapter 12: Lily (and Severus)

Chapter 12: Lily (and Severus)

It took a fair bit of convincing. Lily had known she had her work cut out for her of course, but the disapproving looks and cynical faces of her parents was something she _wasn't_ expecting. She had prepared her argument in defense of Severus on the long walk home, arming herself with words like: 'abuse' and 'neglect'. She expected her parents to agree without a second thought. After all, it's what she would have done. They countered her proposition with things that had never even crossed her mind. Things that, to Lily, seemed highly irrelevant.

" _He's a boy."_

That had been the first, and belonged to her father. Lily didn't see what that had to do with anything. Did the fact that Severus was a boy make her argument any less valid? Did it put him in any less danger? Did her father think that just because Severus was a _boy_ he should be tough enough to put up with it? Lily had frowned in confusion after her Dad stated this fact, like it was bloody obvious this was a solid point in their disagreement, when in reality it only left her more confused.

" _That's a very serious accusation Lily."_

This one came from her mother and Lily admitted, though begrudgingly, that it did make a bit more sense. What did her Mum expect her to do with it though? Was she asking for proof? Lily couldn't very well provide solid evidence without Severus being present, could she? Even if Severus was there, it wasn't like he would just stroll in and have a chat about the things that happened to him behind closed doors. It was ludicrous.

Lily had to take a deep and calming breath to cool her rising temper before she continued. She recounted everything that she learned in the short time she had known Severus. She told them about the bruising around his eye, though she conveniently left out why she suspected it had been there to begin with. She told them about his badly mismatched clothes, how thin he was and about how most of the time he couldn't even look her in the eye, which had struck her as very odd behavior. She even told them about the night she followed him home and what she witnessed there. She knew there was a possibility she would get in trouble for that, but she hoped the severity of the situation would diminish any sort of punishment she might receive. Even if it didn't, it was worth it. Her parents needed to understand. They needed to understand about Severus.

When she had finished, the most she got out of them was a promise that they would think about it. Lily loved both of her parents dearly, but the fact that they didn't immediately embrace the idea and jump into action left her with a festering disappointment that crouched low in her belly and bit at her insides anytime she thought about it. After all, they were _adults_! If you couldn't rely on them, _especially_ your own parents, who _could_ you rely on? Who was going to protect them?

Lily met Severus the next morning and knew immediately that something was wrong. He was moodier than usual, though he didn't say much of anything during their time together. She tried to persuade him to talk about it on several counts, but it was clear by the third or fourth attempt that this was a lost cause. He just listened quietly while she talked and fidgeted with whatever was within reach to fill the lengthy silences. It had something to do with his father, she was sure of it, but she wasn't going to find out more. Not today, anyway. Instead she tried comforting him with the news that she had gotten her parents to agree to consider their plan. She tried to act more positive than she felt and attempted to spin it in a way that would convince him this was indeed good news, but Severus just seemed to be more put out by the end of it. Perhaps, she thought sadly, he had given up.

When they parted ways Lily promised to keep working on her parents. There was no way she was going to leave him behind. She apologized profusely that it had already taken so long, because any amount of time spent debating his position was ' _too long.'_ When you came down to it, if it wasn't immediate, it was too slow. She hugged him tightly, trying to ignore the way he still stiffened and flinched under her touch. The guilt washed over her as she watched his retreating back disappear into the thicket. With a grimace she whirled around, kicking out at the ground moodily, before she made her way back home.

A few days later, Lily had left the solace of her bedroom to use the bathroom. She had been tidying up to distract herself and pass the time, gathering up the stray clothes that were strewn about the room and giving them a tentative sniff to decide if they were clean or dirty, before tossing them into their respective piles. She threw the Hogwarts letter that still sat folded neatly on her dresser since the day she received it, into a nearby drawer without looking at it. As she drew nearer the bathroom door she heard her parents voices wafting loudly from the direction of the kitchen. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the mention of Severus's name.

She needed to get closer so she could hear what they were talking about, and fast. She crept as silently as she could down the stairs, careful to avoid the creeks. Perching herself on the second to last stair, she poked her head through the bannister, straining to listen to her parents heated conversation. She didn't want to get any closer and risk being caught, but she _had_ to know what they were talking about. This could be the answer. This could be what she had been waiting for so desperately.

"-very serious Camellia. If the boy's parents aren't on board with the whole thing we could be charged with _kidnapping."_

"I know, but Lily has no reason to lie. You saw how upset she was when she came home that night. It was all I could do to get her to stop crying."

"I'm not saying she's lying Camellia, dear," there was a heavy sigh and Lily could picture her Dad's fingers pinching the bridge of his nose like he always did when he was stressed. "All I'm saying is that maybe, instead of taking matters into our own hands and facing _criminal charges_ , we could just...I don't know, make a call to the police."

"And what will the police do?" Camellia's voice returned coldly. "You know as well as I do that most of these cases aren't handled properly. Best case scenario he gets lost in the system. If they don't take him- Andrew, if they don't take him away we could make things _worse_ for the poor boy."

"We could make things worse for ourselves too. We have two young girls to think about."

"Yes, and as a father I would have expected you to be more sensitive because of it," Mrs. Evans snapped.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Evans replied darkly.

"What if it were one of our girls? He's just a child, Andrew. But you could stop it, _we_ could stop it." There was a brief pause and the floor creaked loudly as Mr. Evans shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "The question is, do you think you have the guts for what you know needs to be done?" There was another long, stagnant pause as Mr. Evans considered her words carefully.

"This is ridiculous!" he shouted so suddenly that Lily jumped up in alarm, her head crashing painfully into the bannister above. Luckily Mr. Evans voice was so loud she hadn't been discovered. She rubbed vigorously at the spot where the bannister collided with her skull, trying to soothe the throbbing ache still rattling her brain. "I can't believe you're trying to convince me to consider- _kidnapping_!" came Mr. Evans ringing voice in disbelief.

"Keep your voice down!" Mrs. Evans hissed angrily. "The girls! And don't use that word. It's not like that. We would be helping a child in need of some proper care. That's all." There was a scraping sound of wood against the floor that told Lily her father had collapsed into a nearby chair, and she knew her Dad was reaching the end of his patience.

"Camellia, this is insane. What we're talking about could be dangerous for us and for our family. You can't just take someone else's child because you don't like the way he's being raised. The world doesn't work like that-"

"Please, Andrew. Think about it," Mrs. Evans replied softly. "After all, the things that matter the most often involve a bit of risk." There was a shuffling of movement from the kitchen that told Lily the conversation had drawn to a close. She pulled her head from between the railing and crept quickly, yet silently back to her room.

When the door was shut safely between her and her parents, she sank to the floor against it, processing what she had just heard. Kidnapping? It's no wonder her parents didn't jump on the idea of taking Sev in. She never thought about it like that. This was a lot more serious than she had originally thought.

* * *

A few more days crept slowly by. Still Lily was seeing Severus every day, and every day she assured him they were still figuring things out. The words started to sound fake and hollow even in her own head, but she needed to stay strong and positive for Sev's sake. She returned home one afternoon after their daily visit, her hair dampened from the heat of the summer sun combined with the long trek back home from Pine Peak. She had just gotten through the door and finished kicking off her sandals when her parents came and met her solemnly at the door.

"Lil, we need to have a talk," Mr. Evans told her earnestly.

Lily's heart sank into her stomach. Her initial thought was that she was somehow in trouble. At first she thought maybe they knew that she overheard them talking a few nights ago, but then she reasoned if that were indeed the case, she would have been dragged aside a lot sooner than this. Her second thought was of Petunia telling them something she did or didn't do, and a momentary flash of annoyance surged through her at her sister's meddling. She racked her brain for what she could have possibly done this time, as she was led to the kitchen table and asked to sit down.

It all felt so strangely...procedural, and it did nothing to ease her racing heart as she slumped into a chair opposite her parents. She dropped her gaze and stared at the table grains as though she were awaiting sentence, her heart thrumming madly in her chest. Mrs. Evans picked up the cup of tea in front of her and took a small sip. Lily wished they would get on with it, the suspense was threatening to give her an aneurysm.

"So," Mrs. Evans began stiffly placing the cup back on the saucer with a _clink_ and eyeing her youngest daughter. "I'm sure by now you know what this is about." Lily thought it best to say nothing and continued to stare at the table instead. "I want you to know that your father and I have discussed this matter very seriously." Mrs. Evans took a deep breath and folded her hands neatly under her chin, fixing Lily was a severe look. "If we do this, then there are certain rules that need to be followed without question. Do you understand?"

Lily looked momentarily puzzled, but nodded her head in agreement. What were they on about? This couldn't be about Severus could it? After the conversation that took place between her parents a few nights ago, she had given it up as a bad job. The most she could hope for was that they actually _would_ call the police and Severus would be taken somewhere else. Anywhere would be better than there. He said so himself, didn't he? 'He was so close to getting out-'

"Good," Mr. Evans supplied shortly. "Your mother and I have decided that the boy can stay, but-" he cut across the expression of excitement that formed on Lily's face before she had a chance to speak. "He needs permission from his parents." Lily looked crestfallen and Mr. Evans fixed her with a knowing look. "Do you understand what I'm saying Lily?" He asked pointedly. "If the boy says he has permission, well, I'd be inclined to believe him." Lily's mouth gaped open for a moment as comprehension settled in.

If Sev says he had permission to stay than her parents couldn't be accused of kidnapping could they? It would all fall on Severus, and because he was underage, there was no way he would get in trouble for wanting to leave an abusive household. It was only natural. Lily was impressed. It was- well it was brilliant!

"Yes, I understand," Lily said soberly, her hands clenched tightly in her lap and giving her father what she hoped was a meaningful look.

Mr. Evans nodded once firmly.

"There are some other rules that are going to need to be followed," Mrs. Evans said evenly. "Firstly, there will be no Severus in either of your rooms after 9:00 P.M."

Lily snorted, she couldn't help herself, but the thought of Severus hanging out in Petunia's room at all made her want to laugh. In fact, Sev would be the one better off staying out of Petunia's room. She supposed this rule had been made especially for her, and it had her Dad written all over it. As if on cue, Mr. Evans fixed her with a stern look that had her shut the image down immediately, the colour rising in her cheeks.

"This isn't a laughing matter Lils," Mr. Evans said curtly. "I assure you, this is quite serious."

"I know, I'm- I'm sorry Dad," Lily muttered looking ashamed.

"As I was saying," Mrs. Evans continued a bit more loudly, directing the focus back to the subject at hand, "If Severus is in either of your rooms during daylight hours than it's doors open. No exceptions."

Lily felt a touch annoyed at this. What did they think they were going to do?

She realized with dawning horror that they had probably been talking to Petunia after all. She probably told them she was going out with Severus. Lily groaned softly, humiliated at the thought of her parents thinking she was _dating,_ and worse still, what they thought she might be up to. She dropped her face in her hands, the embarrassment blazing hot on her cheeks.

"Mum, Dad, I-" Mrs. Evans held up a hand to stop her from interrupting any further. Lily flushed an even deeper shade of crimson, but fell silent.

"It's not that we don't trust you Lils," Mr. Evans said turning a bit red himself. 'It's just that we don't know Severus yet and-"

"We're not going out!" Lily blurted loudly. "We're just friends! So if Petunia said something to you-" Mr. Evans looked slightly taken aback at his daughter's sudden outburst, but couldn't quite hide the relief that washed over him. He cleared his throat loudly before continuing.

"Oh yes, of course not!" He said, adjusting his collar as though it were about to strangle him and uttering a nervous chuckle. "Nevertheless, you two have been spending a lot of time with each other lately and I know he's your friend and all, Lily, it's just that-"

"Oh for heaven's sake Andrew," Mrs. Evans scolded. She placed a comforting hand over Lily's and stared directly into her daughter's eyes. "Lily, what your father is trying to say is that it doesn't matter if you are or your not. It's just not proper at your age to be alone with a boy in your room. Do you understand?" Lily started to nod a bit uncomfortably, but Mrs. Evans must have misinterpreted this as a sign of confusion because she heaved a heavy sigh and began again. "You see at your age your body is going through certain _changes_ -"

 _Oh God._

"I-I think we're getting a bit off track here!" Mr. Evans said loudly over Mrs. Evans's carefully prepared speech. "Best to stick to the point Camelia, dear! That is a topic for another day, that is!" Mr. Evans plastered on a huge grin that might have been convincing if it weren't twitching and his face wasn't so purple.

Lily burned with humiliation. She would have to agree with her Dad on this one. She hadn't been prepared for this. If this turned into some sort of sex talk- she groaned again.

Mrs. Evans clicked her tongue in annoyance and leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. She wore a look of mutinous frustration as she gave in to her husband's desperate cries to abandon ship.

"Anyway, uh-" Mr. Evans stammered, trying to regain some composure. "Second rule is that we are to be informed of Severus's whereabouts at all times." Lily cocked a questioning eyebrow at him. Mr. Evans sighed deeply and leaned into the table. "Look, Lily, I know you're used to doing things a certain way here, and undoubtedly so is he, but this is important. Severus could be in danger. There could be... _people_ who are looking for him. Maybe wanting him _back_ -" Mr. Evans emphasized, once again fixing Lily with the unspoken understanding still lingering between them. "We need to keep him safe." Lily's shoulders slumped in defeat and she nodded her agreement.

"What about Petunia?" she burst out suddenly.

"What about her?" Mr. Evans asked patiently.

"She _hates_ Severus!" Lily said desperately as her voice began to rise. "What if she tells someone!?" Lily gasped, her wild eyes darting frantically between her parents. "What if she tells his parents?" Mr. and Mrs. Evans exchanged a meaningful look.

"Don't worry about Petunia, Lily," Mrs. Evans said smoothly. "We're going to be having a talk with her too. She'll understand how serious this is, and I assure you, she won't be saying a thing. Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed you don't have more faith in your sister." she said disapprovingly.

Lily didn't even have the energy to look apologetic. Her heart was once again thudding so loudly, her neck throbbed. If Petunia messed this up just because she disliked Severus so much- She would never forgive her for something like that. Maybe her Mum was right though. Maybe she should give Petunia the benefit of the doubt. She wasn't an evil person. Sure, they had their strains and their issues, but in the end she was still her older sister, and she loved her. If she loved Lily at all, there was no way she would mess this up. This went beyond petty dislike.

"OK," Lily said a little skeptically. "Um- was there anything else?"

"No, those are the most critical," Mrs. Evans said evenly. "Anything else comes up, we'll let you know. There's going to be a learning curve with all this, I'm afraid." Mrs. Evans mused softly. "There aren't any handbooks for dealing with something like this," she whispered as though to herself. Mrs. Evans straightened up, smiling, as though shaking herself out of her reverie. "What am I saying? Don't worry, we'll figure it out. Everything will be fine. Now, it's too late for Severus to come tonight, but tomorrow when you see him you can tell him to- uh- _come over."_ She winked at Lily and gave her a brief hug before scooping up her teacup and saucer, and carried them away into the kitchen.

Mr. Evans rose from his seat too, and planted a firm kiss on the top of Lily's head before scurrying off after Mrs. Evans. Her parents voices drifted from the kitchen in soft whispers too low to understand. Lily took the hint and started making her way back to her room, though she couldn't contain the smile that invaded her lips. The conversation she had with her parents had just begun to sink in, and she couldn't have been more elated. Severus was going to stay with her. He was going to stay! She, Lily, and he, Severus, were going to live together under the same roof! She was going to rescue him after all.

* * *

Lily stood beaming in front of Severus and watched as his mouth gaped open in utter disbelief. She had just relayed the good news, and it was obvious he hadn't been expecting this sort of response given the delay in their plan. The look on his face only verified her assumption that he had given up hope. They stood there staring at one another for a moment in stunned silence, before Severus broke into a large boyish grin.

"Y-you mean-" Severus stammered sheepishly. Lily smiled warmly at him.

"Let's go home, Sev," she said cheerfully, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and leading him away from Pine Peak.

They headed back towards Lily's house, all the while Lily talking excitedly about what they were going to do on their first night as live-in roommates. Severus wasn't saying much, but Lily suspected that he was just in shock from the realization that he was going to be free and didn't hold it against him. Severus was a quiet sort of boy at the best of times, and this was a lot to process, she told herself reasonably. Instead, she used his silence as an opportunity to lay out her parent's ground rules and explain what was expected of him. Severus listened intently, nodding along appropriately and, before she knew it, they had arrived at her front door.

0-o-0

Was this really happening? This morning he had woken up and snuck out of the house before either of his parents were even awake. Ever since he came home late that night and was forced into his deepest humiliation he had been avoiding the both of them, not just Tobias. He kept his interactions to a minimum, just dealing with what was necessary and speaking only when spoken to. If it wasn't for his visits with Lily, he didn't think he could have survived the loneliness of the last week or so. But now, here he was, standing in front of Lily Evan's front door, getting ready to enter a whole new life. One without Tobias.

There was a gnawing somewhere deep in his gut that followed him all the way from Pine Peak. First of all, how was he going to afford his school things? If he did this now, there was no way he could ever go back to Spinner's End, not ever. He supposed he would have to try and earn the money somehow, like he did on some of his visits into town, and just hope for the best. He also felt a little uncomfortable about leaving his mother there without him. But, she had plenty of opportunities to leave, didn't she? And she never did. She probably wanted to stay there, he reasoned. With a tremendous amount of effort he pushed the thought away and tried to focus, but the annoying gnawing in his stomach never relented.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans were waiting for them when they went inside, which only verified the situation and made it all the more real. They came bustling up to the door as soon as they heard it open. Mrs. Evans had dusty blonde hair that fell loosely around her shoulders in soft waves. Her eyes were a bright green and she had long, narrow features that made her appear almost horse-like. Mr. Evans had tidy flaming red hair and lots of freckles. His face was round and boyish which only served to make him look younger than he was. He had a good-natured look about him, and Severus could easily envision himself warming up to this man. Seeing the three of them together was like looking at an evolutionary chart. Each person was like a puzzle piece, similar to the others and yet still unique, but when put together formed one perfect picture. He could even see where the Muggle-girl fit in to all this. It wasn't hard to see the family resemblance and it left Severus wondering with increasing awkwardness how he would look trying to fit into the same picture.

Mrs. Evans approached him first. She smiled warmly at him and bent down to meet him at eye level before introducing herself as 'Lily's Mom, Mrs. Evans'. Mr. Evans shook his hand enthusiastically and clapped him on the back as he, too, introduced himself as 'Lily's Dad.'

"And you must be Severus, is that right?" Mrs. Evans asked him kindly when Severus seemed to be struggling and at a loss for words.

"Er, y-yes ma'am," he replied. Mrs. Evans's eyes scanned Severus's appearance and she frowned slightly as she took him in. Severus was beginning to feel uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze, so he quickly added, "Thanks for lettin'-" he grimaced and tried again. "Thanks for letting me stay," he repeated more slowly. He tried on an appreciative grin, but it felt wrong on his face. He hoped that it didn't look the same way that it felt. Mrs. Evans looked up again and smiled.

"Of course Severus, we're happy to have you," she said brightening and standing up. "Lily, why don't you show Severus where he'll be staying?"

"Come on Sev," Lily exclaimed happily as she bounded halfway up the staircase. Severus, unsure of whether he had been dismissed or not, bowed stiffly to Mrs. Evans, who looked half amused and half bewildered at the young boy's actions. Turning away hurriedly, he followed Lily up the stairs.

"Don't be too long, dinner will be ready soon!" Mrs. Evans called after them.

Severus didn't know where to look first. Everything was so immaculately arranged and tidy. There wasn't much space left on the walls that hadn't already been dedicated to documenting the family's lives. There were photographs of chubby babies dressed in shades of lavender and yellow that he assumed must be Lily and her sister. Portraits of the Evans' on the beach, in front of the Eiffel Tower or on a picnic plastered the walls. There were also loads of pictures of people that Severus didn't even recognize, but assumed must have been other close friends and family members. The house itself felt huge in comparison to his own home on Spinner's End, and he was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed.

"In here," Lily said as she made a right at the top of the stairs and continued down the hallway. She pushed open the door near the end of the hall and ushered him inside. The room was occupied mostly by a large, heavy oak desk. Piles of paper were stacked in neat piles on top of it with various writing implements aligned to the side. There was a squat sofa that sat along the opposite wall with a reading lamp and a small side table. A sizable bookshelf took up what was left of the space and was parked against the wall beside the door. "You can fold out the sofa to become a bed," Lily informed Severus as he looked about the room. "We usually keep it for when company comes over. I'm sorry it's not a real bedroom. Mum and Dad said it will have to do for now until we can figure out something more permanent." Severus crossed the room and sat on the edge of the sofa, testing the softness of the cushions, which compared to his mattress at home, felt fantastic.

"It's brilliant," Severus said, a touch of admiration lacing his voice. "Thank you." Lily shrugged but looked pleased all the same.

"Kids, supper," Mrs. Evans voice shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"Come on, I'll give you the rest of the tour after dinner," Lily said happily.

Together they headed back downstairs and toward a table off the kitchen that served as a dining area. Petunia was already in her usual seat, sitting stark straight, her lips pursed. She glanced disapprovingly at the two of them approaching and made a sharp _tsk_ sound against her cheek, before refusing to look at either one of them. Severus and Lily exchanged a look, their eyebrows raised.

"Come sit down Severus, dear," Mrs. Evans said, pulling out a chair that was across from Lily's usual spot and sandwiched in between Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Severus did as he was told and stuffed his hands anxiously in his lap.

Severus had never before seen so many wonderful dishes all at once. The lunch that Lily had brought for them was nothing compared to this. There was a pot roast so tender it slid right off the bone, running over with rich brown gravy and cloves of garlic. Crispy roasted potatoes, string beans and soft, steamy garlic bread were all placed around the table in turn. A pitcher of frosted sweet tea was passed around and then placed in the middle of the table, where it was left to mingle among the rest. Mr. and Mrs. Evans questioned Severus relentlessly, all the while piling more and more food onto his plate, insisting on second and even third helpings. Lily watched his eyes grow wide with disbelief as Mr. Evans dished even more pot roast onto his plate, doing her best not to laugh.

When Severus was feeling full to bursting, Mrs. Evans pulled out a rich chocolate raspberry torte for dessert and, despite his discomfort, managed to eat a small slice of it. He was happy he did, because it may have been the tastiest thing he had ever eaten. Luckily for Severus, his pants were already so large for his small frame that he didn't need to loosen his trousers at the dinner table, which would have been quite embarrassing. Instead, all he needed to do was lean back a little further in his chair to relieve some of the bloating that strained against the walls of his stomach. He was beginning to feel a bit drowsy.

"Why don't you head upstairs and have a quick shower, Severus?" Mrs. Evans suggested, watching him. "It might freshen you up a little. I can find you something to wear for tonight. Just bring your clothes with you to your room when you're finished and I'll get them later for washing."

"I'll show him where it is," Lily volunteered, rising from the table. Mrs. Evans nodded.

"I'll leave them in your room for when you get out," Mrs. Evans told him, referring to the change of clothes.

Severus thanked Mrs. Evans, not just for the meal but for everything, before he followed Lily upstairs to the bathroom. Lily showed him the water taps, telling him which tap was what, which he thought was unnecessary but considerate all the same. She then pulled out a fluffy white towel from a nearby cupboard and loaded it into his arms.

"When you're finished come to my room. It's the one straight across from the bathroom," Lily said, pointing towards her bedroom door. "We can play a game before bed!" She smiled encouragingly and left, closing the bathroom door shut behind her.

Now that he was alone, Severus took the opportunity to take everything in. He had just had the best night of his life and he hadn't even done anything yet. He was bowled over by the kindness and generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Evans, and he felt so grateful to Lily for all she had done on his behalf. Tears threatened the corners of his eyes and he swiped at them in frustration. Why? He was happy for one of the first times in his life. Truly happy. He couldn't help but imagine what life would be like from now on, being a part of this family. Being a part of Lily's family. He would even try to get along with the Muggle-girl, he vowed. Fresh tears stung at his eyes again and he wiped them away angrily, turning to twist on the hot water.

He allowed it to run for awhile, comforted by the knowledge that he couldn't get in trouble for bathing as long as he liked. Steam filled the bathroom in clouds, fogging up the mirrors with thick, dewy condensation. Satisfied, he undressed, folding his clothes into a neat pile before stepping under the jet of hot water.

It was wonderful. The water worked wonders to ease the aches leftover from the defense lessons his mother routinely forced on him. He took a look around the stall and found with some surprise that there were more bottles than he knew what to do with. Little shelves were stuck to the inside of the stall and held a wide variety of products from shampoos and conditioners, to soaps, bubble baths and fragrant bath salts. Severus couldn't believe his eyes. He usually only had one chalky bar of soap to do everything for him. Admittedly, he couldn't wait to try some of the things that sat so enticingly in front of him.

He selected a bottle of shampoo from the shelves and gave it an experimental sniff. He wrinkled his nose and closed the cap, placing it back where he found it. The flowery scent was much too overwhelming and girly. He picked up another and sniffed it gingerly. He recognized the scent immediately. It must belong to Lily, he thought. He dispensed a pearly substance into his palm and slapped it on top of his head, working it into a heavy foam.

He spent some time experimenting with different bottles. He used a liquid soap instead of a bar, sudsing it between his hands before scrubbing it into his skin. He even tried conditioner for the first time. Severus thought it was quite nice. It smoothed out the texture of his hair in the shower, and found that he liked the silky feel of the wet hair between his fingers. When he had finished rinsing he flicked off the water and stepped out.

He quickly toweled off, roughly drying his hair first which ended up in a tangled pile on top of his head, but with no brush in sight there was nothing for it. Maybe they left him something in his room he could use. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he scooped up his pile of clothes and headed to his office bedroom to dress.

He found a freshly laundered pile of clothes set carefully on top of the sofa bed (which had also been made up for him). They must have belonged to Mr. Evans at some point, he mused. There was a cornflower blue T-shirt with a black collar that was looking a little faded, and some plain, grey pajama pants. They must have been from when Mr. Evans was a young man, because though they were still quite loosely fitted, they weren't nearly as overgrown as he was used to.

Severus emerged with the intent of walking straight to Lily's room, but stopped when he noticed that the room next to hers had its door wide open. He couldn't help his curiosity, which had peaked when he was passing, and he stopped to observe it's contents. Petunia was sitting on her bed, a book in her lap as she wrote something down on a piece of paper. Every once in awhile she would scratch something out and start over, biting the end of her pen in concentration. Severus thought this may be a good opportunity to try to make amends with her, so he racked his brain for something friendly to say. Before he could come up with anything though, Petunia caught him staring and immediately grew angry. She tossed the book aside and pelted towards the door.

"What are _you_ looking at, pervert," she sneered slamming the door in his face. Severus frowned.

"Hey," Lily's head poked out into the hallway and was watching him. She must have been alerted by the sound of the door slam. "What's up with her?"

0-o-0

Lily glanced down the hall at Severus who was looking uncertainly at a door that had very nearly assaulted his face. He gawked at her and blinked, perplexed.

"What's up with her?"

"Dunno," he replied doubtfully, wiping at the moisture still clinging to the back of his neck from his soaked hair. Lily suddenly noticed the sodden rats nest on top of his head and choked back laughter. "What?" he asked defensively.

"Your hair," Lily giggled, hiding a smile behind her hand. "Come in here, let me fix it," she said as she disappeared into her room waiting for Severus to trickle in after her. She seized her brush from the vanity and gestured for Severus to sit down at the foot of the bed. He did so obediently and Lily rolled onto the bed on her stomach, attacking Severus's hair with her brush.

Even with the use of conditioner, Severus's hair was a bit of a challenge. She plucked at the ends working her way to the roots attempting to be as gentle as possible. Severus never complained, not even when she accidentally caught his hair on a particularly stubborn knot and gave it an extra hard tug. When Severus's hair was once again lying flat against his scalp, she set the brush aside and began combing it through with her fingers to make sure that she hadn't missed any tangles. She felt rather than saw Severus relax into her touch, and was suddenly acutely aware that Severus _liked_ having his hair toyed with.

She never knew a boy that had hair long enough to play with before, and it had been a long time since Petunia had allowed Lily to do her hair. She began automatically dividing his hair into sections and braiding them together, trying out different styles before once again brushing it out with her fingertips. She swept his hair back into a ponytail, which she decided she actually rather liked on Severus. Silently she wondered if this was something his mother ever did. She had always personally found it extremely comforting and the thought that Severus may have never before experienced the sensation, saddened her a little. She eventually gave up trying different styles and settled on just running Severus's dark hair through her fingers. Her fingertips inadvertently brushed against his neck and she noticed as goosebumps erupted all over his skin. Lily flushed and released his hair, allowing it to settle back into place.

"How about that board game," she asked abruptly. Severus's dark eyes watched her cross the room and throw open the wardrobe. "Hmm...Snakes and Ladders or The Game of Life?" she read out loud to Severus.

"Dunno," he said. "Whichever you like."

"Oh well in that case, how about Mystery Date?" Lily teased holding up the fluorescent pink box and shaking it enticingly, her eyebrows waggling.

"Oh well- I mean, if you really want to-" Severus said politely. Lily giggled and then slapped a hand dramatically over her heart.

"Wow, you must really like me if you're willing to make such a sacrifice," she teased lightly. "I'm only kidding, I wouldn't do that to you. Life it is." Lily crossed the room and jumped lightly onto the bed, dumping the contents of the box out in front of her. She began setting up the board, separating pieces and shuffling cards. "Come on then," she goaded. "You won't be able to play the game very well from the floor, will you?"

Severus positioned himself on the other side of the bed opposite Lily and watched as she set up.

"Um- I really don't know how to play," he confessed apologetically. Lily grinned despite herself.

"It's alright, I'll show you how. Don't worry you're in very capable hands." She winked.

The first game went by slowly. Lily spent a fair amount of time explaining the objective of the game and going over the different elements of game play. When Severus still looked unsure, she insisted that it would be easier to understand if they played through a couple turns. Once he picked it up, Severus was rather good at it, or really rather lucky, Lily thought. She had won the first round, but only by the skin of her teeth. When they played through a second time, Severus had left her in the dust.

As the second round drew to a close they discovered that they had grown weary of the game, and Severus helped pack it away back into its box. They wound up spending a fair amount of time talking the way they usually did when they were at Pine Peak. The subject would inevitably come back around to Hogwarts and the conversation blossomed into fantasies of what life was going to be like for them once they were at school.

Lily caught herself noticing that Severus looked rather dapper in the faded blue of her father's T-shirt and pants. It was very unusual to see him in normal clothes, and not the same ancient smock and blazer combo he normally wore. As they talked, she felt a sudden and overwhelming desire to know what it would be like to kiss him. She watched him closely as he continued to talk. The way his lips moved, and his velvet eyes lit up when he talked about his favorite subjects. The lingering scent of his shower was still hovering heavy around him, and she was close enough that every once in awhile she would catch a whiff of the freshly showered skin smell she loved so much. It caught her by surprise, and mingled with his own Severus-like scent. She felt dizzy and dreamy all at once as she listened to the soothing drone of his voice.

This could be it. He had stopped talking, and she almost hadn't noticed. If it weren't for the sudden silence and the fact that he was staring back at her so intently-

Lily swallowed, her heart doing an involuntary lurch that caught her in the throat. She just needed to do it. She just needed to know what it felt like, just once. It was really no big deal. She should just go for it. Their eyes were locked and for once Severus was actually looking at her and not at his hands or his feet or the ground, just her. He wasn't looking away. She placed her hands against his knees and leaned forward, closing the gap between them, leaning into him and she could swear she felt him start to lean back when-

BANG!-BANG!-BANG!

There was a loud pounding at the door that sounded as though someone were trying to break it down. It was so blaring, it instantly snapped them out of whatever spell they had just been under. It continued repeatedly, and even from Lily's room she could swear she heard the wood splintering and the hinges threaten to give in. There were some muffled curse words from Mr. Evans as he stomped down the hall towards the raucous banging at his front door. There was one final crash that told them the door had swung open so violently it collided with a nearby wall.

"WHERE'S THE BOY? WHERE IS MY SON?"

They stared at one another in horror.

 **AN: Yes, I know. I changed the format a little, but as the author I'm entitled to do what I want ;) I ran into some problems when it came to this chapter as there were certain parts that needed to be seen from Sev's POV but it was too short to split them all into separate chapters. The result is one super chapter (no really, it's almost 5 pages longer than most of my previous chapters). This particular part of the story (chapter 12 and 13) is what sparked my inspiration for the fic in the first place, so as a result it means a great deal to me that it be read exactly how I envisioned it. Hope you enjoy it and if you did, show me some love by dropping me and Sev a lovely review. He could use a little cheering up.**


	13. Chapter 13: Severus

Chapter 13: Severus

 _No, no, no, no, no! Why was this happening? How did he find him? How could he have possibly known where he was?_

Lily was looking at him, horrified. Her skin looked ashen, like she was going to be sick, as the color began to fade from her face. Severus could feel his own mouth gaping open stupidly and thought he was probably doing a pretty good impression of the same look himself.

 _Oh God, Lily._

He didn't mean to drag her into this. In fact, that had been the complete opposite of what he intended to do. He had been stupid. Stupid and selfish. If something happened to her-

"Mummy? Daddy?" A quavering voice called out timidly from the hallway.

The Muggle-girl.

Loud voices began echoing from the first floor, casting the otherwise peaceful home into complete turmoil. Severus could hear the angry shouts of Mr. and Mrs. Evans as they protested fearfully and he could hear Tobias's rough drunken slurs screaming at them in response. Before he could stop her, Lily had jumped to her feet and ran to the door.

"Tuney! Go back to your room, lock the door and hide!" Lily instructed her sister.

"Lily! But- what's go-"

-"Just do it!" Lily roared. She slammed her door shut and turned the lock. She stood in front of it, her arms outstretched as though she could barricade the door with just her tiny frame. Her eyes desperately searched the room for something, _anything_ , they could use. Severus had also jumped to his feet and ran to the wardrobe.

"Lily, help me with this," he said as he braced his shoulder against one side of the wardrobe and started to shove. Lily didn't need asking twice. She rushed over to him, trying to pull the heavy piece of furniture while he continued to heave it from the other had only moved it about a foot or so, and Severus recognized that it was of no use. They were moving far too slowly. The wardrobe was too heavy, and Tobias was an unstoppable typhoon of fury, and that typhoon would be headed this way, full force, at any moment.

"I KNOW YOU'S UP THERE, BOY," Tobias roared. There came the undeniable sounds of heavy footfalls pounding up the stairs.

"You stay away from there, you great dirty ape!" Mr. Evans voice rose as it approached the stairwell.

There were the unmistakable sounds of a struggle, copious amounts of thudding and scuffling could be heard from the hall. A grunt followed by a loud _smack._ Mrs. Evans screamed and there came a heavy, rhythmic drumming noise, like a body tumbling helplessly down the stairs.

Lily turned to him in terror. "Sev, you have to hide!" she said desperately. "He's here for you, if he realizes you aren't here-"

-"I c-can't do that," Severus said with determination. "He wants me. If he finds me, he'll let you and yer family alone."

"There's no time to argue," Lily protested angrily-

"SEV!" Tobias barked.

-"If he finds you, he'll kill you." Lily stared at him, her eyes filling with tears. She tried to push him towards the window in her urgency. "Go, please! The roof."

"What about you? I cant- I won't let 'em- it should be me-"

-"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," she insisted still shoving him backwards. "I'll hide." The doorknob started trembling, and Severus knew that they were out of had just tried the door and found himself locked out. The pounding that followed was almost instantaneous.

"DON'T YOU HIDE FROM ME YOU LIL' SHIT." Tobias called from the other side of the door. There came a powerful bang that immediately had the door warping in it's frame and Severus knew it was only a matter of time before it caved in completely.

Lily looked at him with wild, pleading eyes. Severus sneered in frustration, but gave in. There came another loud bang. The wood began to splinter and crack around the knob. He hopped out the window and onto the roof, inching just out of sight, pressing himself stiffly against the side of the house. He didn't want to go too far...just in case.

Lily had started to move away from the window, when with one final blow the door succumbed to the inevitable and flew wide open with such force, it rebounded off the wall and nearly slammed shut again. Tobias stood in the doorway, his face red with rage and his arms flexed at his sides, giving him the appearance of a deranged orangutan. His frantic eyes flitted around the room sporadically, searching for any sign of his son.

"Where is he, girl?" Tobias asked dangerously. Lily said nothing but continued to glare at Tobias with the deepest of loathing, her eyes shooting daggers from across the room. Her hands were balled into tight fists at her sides. Her expression only deepened when Tobias ripped open her wardrobe and flung her things aside, spilling some of the contents onto the floor carelessly. He dropped to his knees and ripped up the bedskirt, thrusting one meaty arm underneath the bed before his eyes even had a chance to catch up with his search.

"He's not here!" Lily ground out scathingly.

"Bull-fucking-shit he ain't," Tobias replied darkly. "If I find out yous been hidin' 'im from me girl, I'll wring yer neck, see if I don't. I dun give two shits whose bitch you are."

Tobias's eyes narrowed as he approached her. Lily hadn't gotten far enough away from the window when Tobias entered the room. "Did you help 'im escape, eh?" Lily stood her ground and he stopped directly in front of her, glancing around thoughtfully. He eyed the window, and it was as though something just clicked.

Whether it was from some subtle use of Lily's body language or from Tobias's own powers of deduction that gave it away, Severus couldn't be sure, but it happened anyway. "Is he out there, darlin'?" He asked in a patronizing voice.

He didn't bother to wait for an answer. Tobias threw open the window and leaned half-way out, his beefy palms gripping the window ledge so tightly it was as though he meant to squash it to putty. He spotted Severus immediately.

"Well, well, well," Tobias roared triumphantly. "I been lookin' for you, boy." His hand shot out and grasped Severus by the upper arm. With a cast iron grip he began to force him roughly back through the open window. Severus cried out in pain and alarm, and struggled to shake him off. He tried to scramble away, his bare feet scraping against the shingles that left angry red welts on his skin. He grabbed hold of a nearby window frame, (one that belonged to the Muggle girl?) and used it to brace himself from being pulled back. He held on so tight his fingertips turned white, but Severus felt something pop and a paralyzing pain shot through his arm as it was wrenched at an awkward angle, forcing him to let go. He heard Lily's scream of fury.

 _CLANG_

"What the fuck!?"

Lily had picked up her alarm clock and hurled it as hard as she could at Tobias's head. It bounced off the back of his skull and she took the opportunity to launch herself savagely at his back, trying to bite and scratch and strike any part of him she could reach.

"LILY, DON'T!" Severus cried anxiously.

Tobias turned around angrily and snatched a fistful of Lily's long red hair, the other still gripping Severus's upper arm tightly. Lily yelped and groped for Tobias's fingers to try and relieve some of the pressure yanking at her scalp.

"Meddlesome bitch," Tobias growled. He threw Lily to the ground and pressed one heavy boot against the fingers that were still splayed against the floor, until he was half crushing them under his heel. Lily whimpered. "I suggest you stay down darlin', I dun' wanna have to crush yer fingers like a bug an' risk ruinin' my boots, see?" he jeered.

"No! Stop! dun' hurt her!" Severus begged.

He was eerily reminded of his mother and knew it would be of no use pleading with him, but he didn't know what else to do. He couldn't think straight. The pain in his arm and his panic for Lily mingled together and muffled his thoughts until his brain felt numb. Tobias's cold, black eyes turned to look at him, his lips drawn back from his teeth in a snarl.

"What's the matter Sev, this yer lil' girlfriend?" he taunted. He turned his attention back to Lily at his feet, daggers still shooting from her eyes. He pressed down a little harder against her fingers. Lily winced, biting her lip and fighting back tears as she tried not to cry out in pain. "Now see here missy," Tobias said dangerously. "Sev here, he belongs ter me, 'an I dun share too well with others. You best stay away from 'im, ya hear? I dun wanna have ter come back here and finish the job. You leave 'im be. Trust me, he ain't worth it."

He released his hold on her and Lily immediately wrenched her hand back and held it against herself protectively, the tears starting to slip despite her best effort. Tobias had what he came for, so Severus could only hope that would be enough for him to leave the Evans alone.

His arm felt like it had been set on fire as Tobias dragged him away, pulling him awkwardly behind him and making it difficult for Severus to keep stride. Tobias looked beside him as though just noticing him.

"What the fuck you wearin' boy? You best get yer shit together. I ain't buyin' ya nothin' else." He said as he dragged Severus towards the stairs. The pain together with the angle and height of his arm made keeping up a struggle, and as they descended the staircase, it proved too difficult. He stumbled over his feet, losing balance and coordination, but Tobias didn't bother to stop. He continued to drag him along the rest of the way like a rag doll, Severus hanging grotesquely by one arm. The pain was unbelievable by then, and he wished that Tobias would just let him go so it would stop.

 _Sent- Sen- Sateri- Sentiron, Sent- S- fuck!_

Tears pricked the corners of his eyes hopelessly.

Mr. Evans was knocked out cold at the bottom of the staircase with blood pouring down the side of his face. Mrs. Evans was frantically trying to wake him up, saying his name over and over. She held a dish towel, which she pressed firmly against the rush of blood flowing freely from Mr. Evans head. It was clear to Severus that she had been unable to move for fear that Mr. Evans would lose too much blood, the cloth was already soaked through. She watched Tobias approaching with Severus and somehow managed to look both frightened and repulsed at the same time.

"You filthy, disgusting man," Mrs. Evans shouted, venom dripping off of every syllable. "If you touch either one of my daughters, or if you put your hands on Severus again, I'll-"

-"What was that, darlin'? You'll what?" Tobias asked menacingly, bending closer as though to hear her better. "Call the police?" Mrs. Evans expression darkened. He scoffed and stepped over them. He ripped the nearby telephone from the wall and threw it hard at Mrs. Evans who ducked trying to shield herself and her husband at the same time. "Have at 'em," Tobias spat. "I would maybe think about how yer gonna explain to 'em why Sev was here without me knowin' about it though. Seems to me that might be somethin' they's be interested in knowin' about." Mrs. Evans was seething with anger, but she did not move.

"Go get yer things, boy." Tobias said shoving Severus away from him and meeting Mrs. Evans hateful stare with a cold smirk.

"I-I dunno where-" Severus began.

"What?" Tobias said impatiently.

Severus was standing in the middle of the room, gripping his injured shoulder and looking lost. The panic started to bubble over into a full on anxiety attack. What was he going to do? This was all his fault. Lily, Mr. Evans...even the damages to the house. How was he supposed to apologize for something like this? For bringing a monster like Tobias here and unleashing him like a rabid dog onto a family that had only ever shown him kindness? His best friend's family. Not only his best friend, but his _only_ friend. They would never want him over here again, and to be honest, Severus couldn't blame them. Would Lily even still be there after all this? He somehow doubted it.

"-In the laundry room Severus, dear!" Mrs. Evans cut in hastily. "The end of the hall on your right."

"Well? Ya heard the woman, git goin'!" Tobias yelled.

Severus did as he was told, still cradling his shoulder as he stumbled down the hallway. It looked so far away. He felt sick, and disoriented, like someone had slipped him a sedative when he wasn't looking. The edges of his vision were getting blurry and he started to see color that wasn't there. The contents of his heavy meal flipped over threateningly in his stomach. He swallowed it back, forcing his muddled brain to work properly. He needed to leave the house. He needed to leave so Lily and her family would be safe.

It felt like he should have reached the end of the hallway about three times before he finally made it there. He glanced inside, leaning heavily on the door frame for some much needed support, his forehead freckled with tiny pearls of sweat. The laundry room was simple. Just the machines set against a clean white wall with a single shelf overtop that held bottles of detergent. On top of one of the machines sat a laundry basket full of clothes that hadn't been washed yet. Severus's neatly folded pile was resting right on top of it. He grabbed them up and hurried back up the hallway, eager to leave and afraid of what might happen if he delayed for too long.

"Lily! Go back upstairs!" Mrs. Evans shouted suddenly from up ahead.

Lily had appeared at the top of the stairs, her face still wearing that annoying look of sheer determination. Tobias's arm was suspended in midair waiting for him. He seized Severus by the back of the neck as he came near, and pushed him towards the front door.

 _Lily! Stay there! you stupid girl!_

"If you do call the police," Tobias started in a bored voice. "I hope they sees it yer way, cause if they don't…" he paused dramatically for effect. "I'mma be comin' after you and yers first. That's a goddamn promise. An' I always keep my promises, dun I Sev?" Severus said nothing but stared at the ground hatefully. He couldn't bring himself to look at any of them as Tobias lead him outside.

"Lily!" Mrs. Evans shouted angrily. Lily, having apparently ignored her mother's orders, was now descending the staircase as fast as she could. She attempted to grab at her daughter as she flew passed but she jumped nimbly away from her shaky grasp. Mrs. Evans slammed her hand against the floor in frustration. "LILY! GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"

Mr. Evans began to stir, groaning loudly, roused back to consciousness by his wife's frantic shouting.

"Oh Andrew, thank goodness, here hold this here, hold it tight." Mrs. Evans said soothingly. She had thrust the towel into Mr. Evans hand and placed it back against his wound before shooting to her feet and pursuing their daughter out the front door.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM," Lily shouted after Tobias. Mrs. Evans scrambled after her and grabbed Lily by the arm, using it to rein her in. She wrapped her arms tightly around her middle in a desperate attempt to restrain her. Lily was going berserk.

"SEV, SEVERUS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? RUN, SEV! DON'T LET HIM DO THIS! YOU CAN'T LET HIM DO THIS!"

 _Lily...I have to._

Tobias was ignoring her, clearly not thinking her a threat at all. He steered them toward his rusty old truck which he almost never drove, but apparently made an exception for, in this case. Just another thing he would have to pay for later, Severus thought miserably. He loaded Severus into the truck, slamming the door shut with too much force.

"YOU FUCKING CUNT! YOU FILTHY CHILD BEATING MONSTER! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! Lily roared, the profanities spilling from her mouth uncontrollably. She was kicking and squirming like crazy, trying to break free of her mother's grasp. Mrs. Evans looked terrified. By the look of it, she wouldn't be able to hold onto her flailing daughter for too much longer.

 _Lily. stay there. It's for your own good._

The tears were threatening to escape him now, as he tried to sit calmly through Lily's hysteria. But he wouldn't look at her. He couldn't look at her. If he did, it would only encourage her more, he tried to reason with himself. Tobias got in the driver's side.

Lily had become so frantic by this point that her magic was suddenly sparking all around her like currents of electricity. A living live-wire that looked far too dangerous to approach, let alone hold onto. Mrs. Evans released Lily at once as though she had been stung, and Severus knew there was nothing she could have done for it.

 _Don't come, don't come, don't come, Severus begged._

Lily ran down the walkway and approached the truck, slamming into it when she couldn't slow down enough to stop. She slapped a hand, hard, against the window. She was bawling and screaming his name, over and over and over again. Though it was muffled from the outside of the truck, he could understand her perfectly. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will himself not to react, not to look. But he couldn't help himself. He saw her. Looked into those fierce green eyes, and he shook his head at her ever so slightly. His brow furrowed, and his lip trembled, as he tried to hold back his own stinging tears. He had tried to communicate in that brief moment that this was for the best. This was what needed to happen if he was going to keep her safe. And he needed to keep her safe.

After a few failed attempts that resulted in the high pitched whines of protest from the engine and a few choice words from Tobias, the engine roared into life. The truck peeled away, squealing horribly just as Lily had her hand on the door handle and tried to rip it open. She released it at once, but started running after them trying to keep up with the truck's momentum.

He heard one more word pierce across the night sky like thunder as Lily finally realized she was running a losing battle and fell to her knees in the middle of the street. One more word that tore through her throat with so much force it didn't sound human.

"SEVERUS!"

Severus was crying freely now, he had turned around in his seat to watch her. And watch her he did. He watched her silhouette shrink against the horizon. Until the darkness swallowed her. Until the darkness swallowed them both.

* * *

Severus was tossed haphazardly through the front door, crashing into his mother who looked as though she had aged another five years in the short time he had been away from her. Her eyes were red and, if it were possible, the lines of worry appeared to have carved themselves deeper into her face. Clearly, she had been waiting for them.

Tobias stormed in after him. He took half a second to survey them both before he tore a wrinkled envelope out of his coat pocket and threw it onto the kitchen table.

"Won't be needin' this no more, Eileen," he said gruffly.

Severus glanced at it. It looked like his Hogwarts letter. His Hogwarts letter? What would Tobias need that for? Unless-

His jaw dropped open with dawning realization and he snatched the letter off the table and flipped it over to validate his suspicions. His eyes quickly scanned the backside of the parchment.

 _Miss L. Evans_

 _The window over the roof_

 _94 Rosland RD_

 _Cokeworth, England_

"Severus, I-"

-"YOU BITCH!" Severus roared suddenly. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"You don't talk that way to me Severus Snape, I'm still your Mother!" Eileen said shrilly

"You're the only other person who would have seen this," he said brandishing the letter at her angrily.

He couldn't believe his foul luck. When he hung out with Lily at Pine Peak the day they got their Hogwarts letters, he must have grabbed her letter by mistake. Only his mother would have known that it wasn't his, and she must have put two and two together. Which means, she not only knew that he was seeing someone, but she knew exactly _who_ he was seeing and where she _lived_. Didn't take her long to go snitching to Tobias when Severus didn't come home though, did it? He didn't think he had ever been so angry in his life. Aunt Vesta was one thing, but this, _this_ took the cake.

"Come 'ere boy," Tobias said spinning him around to face him. "You dun' talk to yer Mum like that, ya hear? She was only doin' what she been told, which is more'n I can say for you! You caused yer Mum an' me a lot of trouble, see?"

Severus glared at Tobias, his dark eyes filled with a hatred so strong he looked downright evil. He didn't even care. He was so mad it didn't even occur to him to be afraid. All this was for nothing. All the pain and trouble that Tobias caused for Lily and her family was because Eileen couldn't keep her cock-trap shut. He could easily have blamed himself for not noticing they had switched up the letters, but this came so much easier.

"I. Don't. Care." Severus ground out slowly. This was the wrong thing to say to Tobias Snape, especially when he'd been drinking, which was pretty much always.

"What did you say to me, boy?" Tobias said dangerously. "You dun' care? Oh well, how's 'bout I make it somethin' worth carin' about?" He said, as he started unfastening his belt. He grabbed Severus by his injured arm and dragged him to the middle of the floor.

"Tobi! Tobi! Stop!"

Eileen's usual protests began right on cue.

"SHUT IT EILEEN! I'MMA TEACH 'IM SOME FUCKING RESPECT!"

Severus was rendered useless as the pain in his arm was once again launched into full swing. He was tossed down at Tobias's feet and heard the leather strap slide through the belt loops with a swift _ttthhwwwip._ Severus's arms shot up to protect his head, driven by pure instinct, bracing himself for what he knew was coming.

Tobias wound back and whipped the long piece of leather against the curled up ball at his feet that was his flesh and blood. Again. And again. And again. Any part of Severus he could reach, fast succession and brutality his only goal. His anger and combined drunkenness didn't do much for his aim though, and Severus thought it was lucky, because a few of the hits only grazed him or missed him entirely.

"TOBI, ENOUGH! LET HIM UP!"

"You disobeyed me!" Tobias roared, slowing down to strike out at full force with every statement. "You worried yer Mum!" Strike. "You made me chase after ya!" Strike. "Wasted gas!" Strike. "Waste o' time!" Strike. Waste o' space!"

Strike.

Strike.

Strike.

"FUCK SAKE'S TOBI! STOP! YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM!" Eileen wailed.

Tobias ceased the vicious assault, turning back around to look at Eileen who was standing with her hands wound together tightly over her mouth and her eyes swimming with tears. There were a few welts that broke open across the back of Severus's hands while they shielded his head and face, which were bleeding freely. One strike had ricocheted off the floor and collided with his jaw, the metal clacking painfully against his front teeth. Most of the others landed across his back. Some opened on impact, most had not. Tobias turned back to Severus, his face contorted with renewed anger.

"You stay away from that little whore o' yers, Severus, ya hear? People like her, looks down on people like us, an' I dun' need the likes o' them stickin' their noses up when we's the ones who work harder than any of 'em."

Recognizing that the beating had ended and it was safe to do so, Severus withdrew from his position on the floor and stood up, shaking. Though it was true he received a rather harsh beating tonight, it still did nothing to abate his anger.

"They're not like that," Severus said, wiping his mouth on the back of his arm to check to see if he was bleeding. Tobias scoffed in disbelief.

"You think so, do ya? Listen to yer Da, boy, a girl like that dun' want nothin' to do with a good fer nothin' like you less she wants somethin' from ya. She prolly jus' feels sorry for you. Thinks she's doin' some great service. Charity, tha's all that is. She dun' give a flyin' fuck about you. You best cut it off now an' save yerself the trouble."

Severus was nearing the end of his patience. His magic began to buzz and crackle inside of him as he thought of all the vengeful things he'd like to do to the wretched man in front of him. How dare he talk about Lily that way. It wasn't true. She didn't just feel sorry for him, did she? She was his best friend.

Catching the look on Severus's face he added, "Ohh, but maybe yer hopin' fer somethin' else. Maybe yer thinkin' o' stickin' yer lil' pecker in her, hey son? Givin' her the ole' lethal injection?" Tobias laughed viciously.

Severus had had enough, he burned with a rage so raw and powerful that he had no control over what happened next. He wished Tobias would shut the fuck up already. He wanted him to shut his fucking mouth just once!

Tobias started to splutter, drawing in a high-pitched breath like a balloon that had sprung a slow leak. He clawed at his throat, his eyes popping, and his face purpling.

He hated the hootch.

Tobias took a deep gasping breath of air as something released and he could breathe again. But as soon as he had inhaled that first sweet breath of oxygen, his stomach seized and he began to vomit violently all over himself and onto the floor in front of him, as though his body were trying to purge itself of the liquor. He vomited so violently that even when there was no more left to dispel, his stomach still seized in a constant contraction.

He hated his ugly face.

Boils began to surface all over Tobias's face and neck. The little pustules rose suddenly underneath his skin in what Severus imagined must have been quite a painful sensation. Tobias looked panic-stricken as he gingerly tested one of the continually inflating ulcers with a fingertip which had it bursting on impact.

"SEVERUS SNAPE!"

His mother must have realized what was happening, because when he finally managed to tear his eyes away and look at her, she had her wand in her hand and he felt suddenly blocked as though his magic were enclosed in cellophane. He glared at her, and she immediately began muttering spells and counter jinxes under her breath. Tobias had fallen unconscious and she was muttering over the boils that took over her husband's face. He approached her and watched what she was doing, secretly hoping that it wouldn't work and she couldn't fix him. He hoped he was stuck looking as ugly on the outside that he was on the inside so everyone would know and be warned. He hoped the pain stayed too, even if the boils didn't.

"You best hope he don't remember any of this come tomorrow," she said softly, not looking at him. Already he could tell that this was likely not going to be a permanent transformation. The boils had stopped rising at least, and they didn't look as angry and red as they did only moments ago.

 _Shit._

"Go to bed, Severus, now" Eileen said cooly. "I'll prolly be up all night cleanin' up this mess."

Severus was only too happy to oblige. He raced upstairs to the attic, slamming his fist into the wall angrily as he passed.

How dare Tobias talk about Lily that way. He didn't know her. Not the way Severus knew her. She was too good and pure for any of the filthy accusations that crawled their way out of his fucking rotten mouth. He hoped that his mother wouldn't be able to reverse the spell damage either, but he knew, even as he thought it, that it was an unrealistic expectation. From what he witnessed downstairs it was damn-near impossible.

Well, he would need to change that then, wouldn't he? Severus couldn't deny that watching what he did downstairs, watching Tobias turn purple and gasp for air, the pain he must have caused from the thick, pulsating boils to accelerate so quickly under his skin, and the fear. Yes, the fear. Tobias had been afraid. Come to think of it he looked downright terrified. Well, it all just felt so fucking satisfying! He knew that he should have been afraid of what he had done, or ashamed or guilty or something along those lines, but...he didn't. He was glad it happened, and he was glad that he got to be the one to do it.

Even though the incident was purely accidental, Eileen had said that she would be 'working all night' to fix it, did she not? If he could do that just on accident, think of what he may be able to accomplish if he studied hard and trained himself up? He didn't want to wait for Hogwarts. If he was going to be forced to stay here until he went to school in September and do nothing he may not make it. He needed to take matters into his own hands, he needed to start now. Immediately.

He crossed the room and pulled one of the worn-out, dusty boxes roughly towards him. He began to rummage through it, pulling out old texts and quills and tossing them aside in order to get to the bottom of the pile. He had read most of these books cover to cover, but there were a few that he had been told were too advanced for him and what they contained had dark consequences. He didn't care anymore. He would learn to defend himself against Tobias properly if it killed him, and he wouldn't need _Sentirinon_ to do it. He would make sure that he never laid a hand on him, or Lily, or her family ever again. At last, he found what he'd been searching for. He carried the book over to his mattress and flopped down with it.

 _Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges)_

Severus propped open the book, and began to read.

 **A/N: I couldn't help myself. I had to continue, this was a huge plot point and it was a very action-packed chapter. Maybe you weren't expecting another update so soon, well surprise! Happy weekend. Same copyright mumbo jumbo inserted here. Thanks for sticking with us this far. We're about halfway through the story. Leave a review if you feel so inclined. Sev and I appreciate them so much.**


	14. Chapter 14: Lily

Chapter 14: Lily

Lily was frantically pacing from side to side like a caged wild animal. The crisp white barrenness of the walls did nothing to calm her, and she took it in turn to cross the room, try the door she knew was locked, and begin pacing again. She hated it. She didn't want to be here. She didn't _need_ to be here. What she _needed_ was to get to Severus. Whatever was happening to him, he needed her. If she could only get out of here. But her mother had insisted. Insisted so strongly in fact, it got to the point where she was literally carrying her to the car and strapping her in the back seat like a three-year-old.

The ride over had been...interesting. She spent the majority of the time screaming at her parents and now that she was alone she couldn't seem to recall what she had been screaming _about._ The only reason she remembered even that much was from the rawness in her throat and the raspiness of her voice. She only had one thing in the forefront of her mind, and it played over and over again like a broken record:

 _I have to get to Severus. I have to get to Severus. I have to get to Severus. I have-_

Again and again it played, her anxiety building within her as each repetition echoed into the emptiness. From the moment she was free of her back seat restraints it was as though they continued to find new and troublesome ways to hold her back, and she was getting extremely agitated by it.

When they pulled into the parking garage and paraded themselves through the sliding doors they were met by two nurses who had jumped instantly to their feet, alarmed by the raucous way in which the Evans family piled into the lobby. Lily struggled against her parents as they attempted to wrangle her toward the waiting area. She was seized immediately and taken to a private room, while her parents were whisked away in the opposite direction, Petunia in tow, toward a different area of the hospital. Likely they wanted to look everyone over. Her father was still bleeding openly from a rather impressive gash on his forehead, and her mother sported a remarkable collection of blisters that dotted her palms and the insides of her forearms.

It took three nurses to wrestle Lily into the room she was now imprisoned in. Two to hold her down, and one to wield the syringe full of a mysterious clear fluid. The nurse proceeded to try and stick her with it, yelling for her to 'calm down' and that they were 'only trying to help' as she lunged for the thrashing whirlwind that was Lily Evans. Bullshit they were. Whatever it was they were doing was far from helpful and it was just wasting more of her precious time. Sev's too.

When the nurse got close to penetrating Lily's skin with the pointed end of the needle it vanished into thin air and the nurse was left holding a leaky syringe and a puzzled expression. By the time she had gotten a fresh needle and tried again, all three nurses were shaken to the point of paranoia, swearing up and down that there had indeed been a needle in the syringe _this_ time, though none of them had seen it fall out. It was just gone. It was there and then it wasn't. Like magic.

The baffled nurses left, arguing loudly about what the hell just happened and which one of them should be the one to track down the doctor. As they talked over one another she overheard one nurse suggest to the others that Lily may calm down if left to her own devices. To her credit, it did seem to work at first, but now with her mantra as her only companion she could feel the rising panic brewing dangerously below the surface once more. If things didn't start moving along, and soon, it would threaten to break through her at any moment, and she refused to be held responsible for it. Not when every bloody person in this place refused to take her seriously. There were far more pressing matters at hand.

At that moment there was a loud _click_ and the door creaked cautiously open. Lily's eyes narrowed and she glared at the stranger now standing in front of her. A doctor. He raised his hands as though in surrender, proving he came unarmed.

"You must be Lily," he said gently. He stepped back, pushing the door open a bit wider to allow a second person to walk past him. Mrs. Evans strode in, her arms wrapped and bandaged until they resembled a pair of heavy white mitts. A shiny gel-like paste was oozing out the edges of the wrappings and left shiny darkened blotches along the otherwise spotless fabric.

"We have to leave!" Lily informed her mother as she walked in. "I need to help Sev-"

Mrs. Evans leaned over urgently and whispered something in the doctor's ear. He nodded stiffly and stepped gingerly out of the room, the door snapping shut behind him.

"MUM! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?! WE NEED-"

"For heaven's sake Lily, HUSH," Mrs. Evans scolded. She paused, listening at the door. When she was satisfied that nobody had overheard (or at the very least decided not to intervene) she crossed to Lily and fixed her with a very severe look.

"But I-"

"-Enough!" Mrs. Evans whispered sternly. "Lily, do you have any idea the damage you could have caused? Did you ever stop to think what this information could do to Severus? To our family?"

Lily gaped at her mother in shocked outrage. "What-"

Mrs. Evans held up a hand before she could utter another syllable.

"Listen to me, and listen to me good Lily Louise Evans," Mrs. Evans began harshly, grasping Lily by the shoulders and staring her dead in the face. "If the doctor found out about a case of domestic child abuse he would be obligated to report it to the proper authorities. There would be an investigation. Best case scenario they would remove Severus from the home, but these things take time and it doesn't guarantee an immediate arrest and who do you think that monster is going to come after first? Do you really want that man to come knocking down our door again? Did you see what he did to your father? This whole thing makes me sick. He threatened us! And so help me Lily, I believe him, I really do."

Mrs. Evans paused to survey her daughter, whose jaw dropped open and whose face somehow managed to look both offended and guilty at the same time. "And what if Severus wasn't taken away? What do you think would have happened to him then? We are NOT going to report this, or press any charges. Do you understand me Lily Louise? For the sake of Severus AND your family keep your mouth shut and don't even THINK about bringing it up again!"

An overwhelming flood of shame washed over Lily and settled itself somewhere in the pit of her stomach. The truth was that she really _hadn't_ stopped to think about any of those things and to hear her mother say it out loud made her feel incredibly foolish, and not to mention selfish. She really just wanted to help, but instead she had almost made everything worse. This was something that could have impacted Sev's entire life, and possibly her family's too. Why couldn't she have seen that? She fought back the tears that pricked the corners of her eyes and humbly stared at her feet, too overwhelmed with remorse to do much of anything else.

There was a heavy thud against Lily's shoulder. She glanced in the direction from whence it came to see her mother's heavily bandaged hand attempting to comfort her, but all it did was make her feel worse. She knew that whatever happened to her mother's hands was because of her and their struggle on the front step. It didn't matter that she didn't mean to do it, or that she had lost control. It was still all _her_ fault. She hurt her mum. She hurt someone she loved. A fresh wave of guilt squeezed the knot in her stomach and made her heart thrust wildly against her chest.

"Are- are you mad at me?" Lily asked softly, nodding toward the bandages.

Mrs. Evans scooped Lily into a one armed embrace and kissed her cheek. "No, I'm not upset about that," she assured her in a much gentler voice.

"What did I do to you?" Lily asked, her voice heavy with concern.

Mrs. Evans giggled, which Lily had not been expecting at all. "The doctor said that they resembled jellyfish stings, but since there was no way I could have been exposed to jellyfish in the last couple hours he remains appropriately baffled," She grinned, recalling the doctor's diagnosis.

"I'm sorry…" Lily whispered.

"Oh tish tosh, your old mum is built of tougher stuff than that," she said waving a hand dismissively.

"Does it hurt? How is dad?"

"Don't worry about me, the doctor says it will likely clear up in a couple of days and it's more itchy than anything. Your father on the other hand-" she shook her head and poked her tongue against the inside of her cheek making a loud clucking noise. "He needs stitches. Three of them. And he has a concussion but they want to do a few more tests to determine how severe it is before they let him go home." She eyed Lily curiously. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Lily admitted stifling a yawn. "But otherwise Ok... Mum?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you angry with Severus?"

"Good heavens child of course not!" Mrs. Evans exclaimed seriously. They sat like that for a while saying nothing. Mrs. Evans appeared to have been lost in thought and Lily thought it best not to interrupt. She nearly nodded off, but was startled awake again when her mother's voice finally broke the silence. "Severus is always welcome, you know that. I just wish we could do more," she said gently. She turned a determined face toward her youngest daughter. "You make sure he comes over for dinner when he can. The least I can do is feed the poor thing."

Lily nodded. "I promise."

"Where on Earth is that Doctor? I swear you send them away for one minute and you won't see them again for hours."

"Can we go and see dad?" Lily asked, standing up quickly.

"Not yet love. The Doctor needs to look you over first."

Lily scoffed. "But I'm fine!" she insisted hotly.

"Lily, you have to understand how it looks. When you arrived at the hospital you were completely unhinged. I've never seen you behave so rashly, and the words...the words that came out of your mouth. I never thought I would hear such profanities coming from a young lady, let alone one of my own daughters. It scared me. I was afraid that something might be wrong with you. I think you should be looked at, I want to make sure that nothing else is going on physically."

"-I'm fine," Lily said again stubbornly.

"I know darling, but I just want to be sure."

Lily crossed her arms and leaned against the examination table, trying to distract herself with some of the nothing that plastered the walls. Finally, what seemed like a lifetime later there was a sturdy knock at the door and the doctor re-entered the room.

"How are we all doing? Calmed down a bit have we?"

After being poked and prodded at for approximately ten minutes the doctor concluded that Lily had experienced a severe-scale panic attack. He continued to question Mrs. Evans about the events leading up to the attack to try and uncover any potential triggers. Mrs. Evans was quite honest with what happened, though she left out the parts that made it seem like Severus was in any kind of danger from Tobias and made it out to seem like some sort of confrontational misunderstanding. The doctor eyed her skeptically as she recounted her version of events.

"I see," he said slowly after she had finished. "Well Mrs. Evans I think any child of Lily's age would have reacted in a similar fashion. That is to say, it's not uncommon considering the circumstances. That is a very frightening situation for any child to deal with. You might want to consider taking her to see a psychologist, I think it best for her to process the night's events under the guidance of a professional."

Lily snorted.

"I understand, thank-you Doctor," Mrs. Evans said raising her voice to talk over Lily's blatant display of rudeness. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to take my daughter to see her father and sister in the other ward. Unless there is something else you'll be needing from her?"

The doctor continued to eye Mrs. Evans skeptically but nodded once and stepped aside so they could pass. "I'll come check on you and your husband in a little while," he informed them, following them out and clicking the door shut behind them. "In the meantime, let your daughter get some rest if at all possible. Do you know where you're going Mrs. Evans?"

Mrs. Evans forced a smile. "Yes, I do believe I know the way, thank-you." They took off up the corridor, the doctor retreating in the opposite direction. Lily followed closely behind so as not to get lost in the dizzying maze of rooms and hallways, all of which were stark white. Lily could feel the hazy edges of a headache begin to form against the walls of her brain. Finally, after many twists and turns, they stopped outside a room labeled '217.'

Mr. Evans was sitting upright, propped against his pillows. The stitches must have already been administered, because there was a square piece of gauze strapped to his forehead where the cut used to be. Petunia was sitting beside the bed, toying with the bed's remote control and giggling every time Mr. Evans acted as though the bed were moving of its own accord. She shrieked when he lunged playfully at her and pulled her on top of him in a clumsy one armed hug.

"Petunia, please," Mrs. Evans said sternly as she ushered Lily inside the room. "Let your father rest, he's been through enough."

"Oh I don't mind Camelia dear," Mr. Evans said happily. "Petunia here has been taking very good care of me," he winked at his oldest daughter and she giggled as she settled herself back in her seat.

"Are you Ok, Daddy?" Lily asked running over to his bedside and throwing her arms around his neck.

"Fine, fine," Mr. Evans reassured her, hugging her back tightly. "Though they did say they wanted to keep me overnight for observation," he continued, meeting his wife's gaze over Lily's shoulder.

Mrs. Evans tsked. "Well, it's practically morning already isn't it? What's a couple more hours? Not to worry Andrew." She drew up beside him and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead before she settled down opposite Petunia, who was pursing her lips every time she caught Lily's eye. "We'll get you back home in no time, but I do think you need to call off work."

"Call off work?! But Camelia, I'm going for a promotion here!"

"Andrew you've had a concussion and no sleep," Mrs. Evans reasoned with him. "There is no way you're going to work tomorrow- er today- I think Mr. Mitchell will understand these _particular_ circumstances," she said fixing him with a meaningful look.

"All right, all right," he said with a defeated sigh. "I suppose you're right-"

"As always," Mrs. Evans finished brightly, patting the back of his hand.

The door creaked open once again and the doctor appeared suddenly in the doorway. "Mr. and Mrs. Evans? Sorry to interrupt, but we'd like to ask you a few questions. If you don't mind stepping out into the hallway for a moment." He asked calmly. Behind him stood a tall clean shaven man dressed in police uniform. A muffled voice crackled through the radio at the man's hip in a code none of them understood.

Mrs. Evans stiffened. "Is this entirely necessary? My husband has a concussion, and we're both very tired."

"I understand Mrs. Evans but I'm afraid I must insist," the doctor replied opening the door wider for emphasis.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans exchanged a look before Mrs. Evans sighed and stood up, helping her husband out of the hospital bed. She wrapped an arm around his waist and the two of them sauntered out into the hallway to deal with whatever was waiting for them, leaving the girls alone in the abandoned hospital room.

For a short while neither of them spoke, since they were both too busy trying to eavesdrop on the conversation happening just outside the door. "See what happens when you bring home a stray?" Petunia broke in snidely.

Lily's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "How can you say that? Did you even see what happened? How he's treated? Or is your skull so thick not even a sledgehammer could penetrate it? I don't think it could have been more obvious," she sneered, shaking her head with disgust. "How can you be so…so mean?"

"Well, I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree then, does it?" Petunia murmured.

"He's not like that at _all!"_ Lily exclaimed. "He's nothing like that monster."

"Oh really?" Petunia scoffed her brow furrowing. "How do you explain Daddy? Or my shoulder? None of this would have happened if it wasn't for _him_ but still you keep inviting him in. He's dangerous Lily, and the sooner you realize that the better it will be for everyone."

"He is _not_ dangerous," Lily retorted angrily.

Petunia rolled her eyes, "Take a good look around you Lily, where are we right now? Or is all this really _your_ fault? Is that what you're saying?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying," Lily said desperately. She didn't know how the conversation had reeled around so completely, but she felt she had lost control, giving Petunia the upper hand.

"If you had stayed away from him like I told you in the first place, none of this would have happened. Mum and Dad wouldn't have gotten hurt, our house would still be in one piece and Mummy and Daddy wouldn't be out there talking to the police _right now._ I hope it's all worth it, Lily. I hope _he_ was worth it."

Lily said nothing but glared at Petunia angrily. The things she said about Severus were cruel and unfair and she didn't want to believe her sister was capable of being so heartless, but she did feel somewhat responsible for everything that happened tonight, and Petunia's words only seemed to validate those feelings. If only she could have a re-do. Maybe everything would have turned out differently. Maybe she could have hidden Severus better. Maybe she could have protected him. Protected her parents. Maybe she could have handled Mr. Snape. Handled him for Good...

"I told you he'd end up hurting you," Petunia whispered interrupting her train of thought. "I didn't think it would happen so soon though, but I guess I really shouldn't be surprised considering the source." She turned her attention back to the closed door leaving Lily alone with her thoughts. Alone with her guilt. Just Alone. She wished she could get the hell out of here already so she could find Severus-

"Absolutely not! I told you we will not be pressing any charges." The door swung open violently and Mrs. Evans came storming in, leading her husband back to the hospital bed.

"Mr. and Mrs. Evans, I really think you should reconsider-" the doctor said, still standing in the hallway. "This sounds like a break and enter. The fact that the assault was met with violence-"

"I told you, it was all just a big misunderstanding! We've already worked it out with our neighbor. You can kindly send the officer on his way. Now, are you going to do your job and take care of my husband, or is there some other area of our lives, outside your jurisdiction, you'd prefer to pry yourself into?"

The doctor looked disgruntled. "I'll put in the order for the discharge papers. It might take a little while, but once that goes through you'll be free to go," he said stiffly. He turned around slamming the door closed with a little too much force.

"Really, Camelia dear-"

It did indeed take a while for the discharge papers to be put through and Lily suspected it may have had something to do with the manner in which her mother last spoke to the doctor. Mr. Evans was cleared to go back to work in a day or two having been diagnosed with a rather minor concussion, though knowing her father it was likely leaning toward the "day" rather than the "two." A fresh new day was beginning by the time they were finally released from the hospital. The sun was rising and the birds were conducting their usual morning orchestra as the Evans family piled themselves back into the vehicle. As Lily strapped herself into the back seat, her heart gave another painful lurch against her chest as she anticipated the opportunity to track Severus down at last. For her, the car ride couldn't go fast enough.

* * *

Before the car even had a chance to come to a complete stop, Lily had unfastened her seat-belt and proceeded to jump out of the still moving vehicle. She barely had time to register the angry protests from both her parents before she was sprinting down the street at full speed. She didn't care. She had wasted enough time. The car ride over had felt like the longest of her life and she spent the whole time going through various scenarios in her head, each more extreme than the last. What happened to Severus last night while she was away, powerless to break free? What horrors did he face when his father finally stowed him away behind closed doors? She could only hope it wasn't as bad as she thought it was. She could only hope that he was alright.

She pounded across the field and turned onto the familiar trail that would lead her to Pine Peak only to find it empty and deserted. She tore up the trail towards their spot by the river, the branches whipping at her face and legs as she flew past, but it didn't stop her. If anything it only encouraged her and renewed her sense of urgency. If only her legs would move faster. The air was tearing in and out of her chest in such frantic bursts it burned her throat, but she ignored it all. All the discomfort in the world couldn't keep her from him.

She crashed through the edge of the trees and out into the open field, nearly falling over at the sudden lack of resistance. He was there, as she knew he would be, and she barely missed a beat as she regained her balance and sprinted toward him at full speed. He was looking out over the river, clearly waiting for her. She wondered how long he had been there for. How long had he been waiting?

"Sev-rus!" She called anxiously as she tried to call his name and gulp down more oxygen at the same time. "Sev!"

He had hardly begun to turn around when she crashed into him, throwing her arms around him, and gasping for air in which she wasn't entirely certain could be blamed on the run alone. He clearly hadn't been expecting this and the surprise combined with Lily's exhaustion was enough to send the both of them falling to their knees.

"I was so worried," Lily sobbed at his shoulder, grasping his coat to make sure he was real. "I was so worried about you, and I tried. I tried to get away but I couldn't. I couldn't do it. They wouldn't let me leave." She pulled a tear streaked cheek away to look him in the eye and assess him, to examine the state he was in.

His expression was pained. And he drew in a sharp breath as Lily pulled away from him, wincing. Lily released him at once, looking alarmed. She knew that it was going to be bad, and right now she wasn't sure if she was prepared to know just _how_ bad it was.

"I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?!"

"It's alright," Severus said shortly, straightening himself up once more. But he couldn't stop his hand from instinctively cupping his shoulder. Lily had to see for herself. She needed to know.

"He hurt you." It wasn't a question. "Let me see it."

"No, you don't need to see it. I'm alright now," he said, offering up one of those weak half-smiles she'd become so accustomed to.

"Severus Snape, if you don't show me your shoulder, I swear to God the first thing I'm going to do when I learn magic is hex you into the next century. And who knows? Maybe I don't even need the training, but I'm not so sure you want to be in a position to find out. Now show me your shoulder," she repeated, enunciating each word.

A ghost of a smile passed his lips so quickly, she couldn't be sure she'd seen it at all or if it was just a trick of the light. He sat so stiffly she thought he may not have taken her threat seriously after all, which to be fair was, of course, empty. His lip twitched, but he began to unbutton his jacket. Grimacing he shrugged out of one sleeve and pulled the smock over to reveal the porcelain skin underneath. Lily gasped.

The entire joint was surrounded by a deep velvety purple that lay blotched like one of those interpretive art paintings she'd seen on a field trip. It even had similar layers. A red/pink background with hues of deep purple, black and even a navy blue that were set deep in the center of the foreground. It were as though the galaxy were stamped against his skin, it looked so wrong. The joint itself was bulging slightly from the swelling that still lingered there. Lily shook her head sadly.

"This is so wrong. We have to do something about this! He can't treat you like that!" she exclaimed hotly.

Severus readjusted his smock, not bothering to refasten it, and saying nothing as he straightened his collar. Lily knew he was doubting everything she just said and his features screamed with a 'so what do you expect me to do about it?' sort of expression. She crossed her arms and watched him appraisingly.

"What?"

"What else?" she asked sternly.

"What do you mean, 'what else'?"

"What else did he do to you?"

"What makes you think he did something else?"

One eyebrow rose high on her forehead, until it threatened to disappear beneath her hairline. Severus looked annoyed. His brow furrowed as he challenged her with his own dissecting glare. Finally, after some incredibly tense moments he caved, though it was obvious he wasn't happy about it. His jaw tightened as his teeth clenched and he let out a low groan of exasperation. He shrugged off his coat completely and turned his back to her, waiting.

Lily took the hint at once and grabbed up the bottom of his smock, pulling it up until her hand was level with the nape of his neck. There were several multi colored bruises that spattered across his back in random patterns. A few of them had welted or scabbed over, looking dark and raw against the fairness of his skin. Lily reached out and traced a few of them with tentative fingertips, expecting Severus to jump away from her touch but surprised when he remained perfectly still.

"Satisfied?" he asked moodily as he turned back around, forcing Lily to let go of his smock.

"No," she replied briskly. "I won't be satisfied until we do something about your dad."

Severus let out an exasperated sigh. "Lily, listen. I need to talk to you about something."

"What?" she asked cautiously, her eyes narrowing. Her heart had evidently decided to try and make a run for it, and the path it chose was the path of least resistance...her throat. She choked a little from her reaction, and her hands balled into tight fists in her lap.

"I- I just think- I dun know if-"

"What is it Sev?" she asked seriously.

"I don't think you should hang around with me anymore," he said suddenly.

Lily's heart, which must have been halfway up to her throat by now, sank all the way back down into her stomach and she felt a wave of overwhelming heat rip its way through her entire body. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as her breath hitched and her lip trembled.

"You don't mean that," she said quietly. "You can't mean that."

Severus looked as though he wanted to be anywhere but there. His shoulders slumped forward in defeat and his own breathing became short and shallow. "I do."

"But, I need you. You're my best friend…"

"That's why you need to stay away from me," he explained. "I care for you too much now. I need you to be safe and if you're around me that isn't going to happen. What happened at your house the other day damn near killed me. I can't go through that again. I won't. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if he hurt you. I'm sorry for what happened to you and your family. The only way I can make sure it doesn't happen again is if I stay away from you all."

Lily frowned. "Don't I get any say in this? Considering this decision affects me as much as you. I dare say I think I'm entitled to at least have a discussion first."

Severus shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid not. The decisions already been made."

Lily scoffed. "Is that so? Well, if it's already decided then, sure, why not? I'll just go on pretending like you don't exist then, shall I? Is that what you want? I'm a big girl Sev, and believe it or not capable of making my own decisions." She glared at him, insulted that he could have made a decision of this magnitude without her say so. Especially when it affected her so directly. Did he even respect her _at all_?

"It's too dangerous. You don't know what you're risking. My father- he don'" Severus swallowed. " **He doesn't** care who he hurts. If you're around me and he catches us he'll target you too. I can't allow that to happen."

"I'm not afraid of him! And besides, it's worth the risk isn't it? I'm not ready to just say goodbye and pretend none of this ever happened. I'm not ok with it."

Severus stood up, gathering his coat and draping it over one arm. "Just stay away from me Lily," he said softly. He turned and walked away leaving Lily to watch his dwindling form disappear into the wood, until she was left entirely alone.

 **A/N: Sorry it's taken a while to update (again!) This usually happens when I've put poor Lil Sev through the ringer and he needs a rest. Thanks for reading. If you feel so inclined leave a review, they're always appreciated :)**


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